Teen Camilla Swanson (a fine and appealing portrayal by Allie MacDonald) aspires to be a Broadway diva just like her late mother Kylie (a brief, but memorable turn by Minnie Driver). Camilla lands the lead role in a musical theater camp revival of the play "The Haunting of the Opera" that her mom previously starred in ten years ago. However, a vicious killer decides to bump off assorted folks involved in the production of said play.

Writer/director Jerome Sable keeps the enjoyably loopy story moving along at a zippy pace, maintains an engaging tongue-in-cheek campy tone throughout, pays affectionate homage to various horror classics, and stages both the gory murders and dynamic song-and-dance numbers with rip-roaring aplomb. Moreover, Sable manages to mix both horror and humor in a fresh and spirited way. The enthusiastic acting by the game cast rates as another substantial asset: Meat Loaf as crusty camp owner Roger McCall, Douglas Smith as Camilla's bitter brother Buddy, Brandon Uranowitz as eager play director Artie Getz, Kent Nolan as the smitten Joel Hopton, and Melanie Leishman as snippy rival Liz Silver. The songs are quite catchy and lively. Bruce Chun's sumptuous widescreen cinematography provides a pleasing polished look. The jaunty score by Sable and Eli Batalion hits the stirring spot. A real off-the-way treat.

The film begins with Kylie Swanson (Minnie Driver) rehearsing, as she is a very talented and popular Broadway star. However, I was shocked when only minutes into the film, Kylie is sent to the great beyond as a masked killer hacks her to pieces. What a prologue!

Ten years have passed. The dead woman's children now work with their godfather, Roger (played by Meatloaf…and Mr. Loaf did a nice job in this film). Roger is no longer a successful Broadway producer but just a guy who owns a summer camp for campy kids—kids who sing, dance and have ambitions of being musical stars themselves one day. I absolutely loved the scene where you first see the camp, as the song is one of the funniest things I've heard in years—and this scene so reminded me of the kids I used to teach when I was worked at a school for the arts! They had all the wonderful stereotypes in the film and really knew what it was like to be around these sorts of kids…and I laughed and laughed.

Soon you learn that the school will be putting on a big show—and the director promises that a big Broadway producer will come to see it! What will this musical be? Yep….Haunting of the Opera—the same production that Kylie was performing when she was murdered!! And who will be in the lead? Yup…Kylie's daughter, Camilla (Allie MacDonald)!! Will history repeat itself? Will a deranged psychopath show up and hack the actors to pieces? What do you think?!!! Sure he will!!

The film is filled with gallons and gallons of blood. But, because so much is used, it comes off much more as comedy than a horror film. In fact, I found myself WANTING to see the masked killer butcher the teens— after all, they ARE awfully annoying at times!

My only reservations about this film are relatively minor. The biggest problem is that I would love to see teens go to see this film or rent it —and I am worried that because of all the cursing and blood that many parents won't let their kids see it. It's a shame, as the same folks who regularly watch "Glee" would be thrilled to watch it—and much of their audience are teens. The other problem is that the films tempo is very uneven. While parts are totally hilarious, these are, at times, far between. But, if you are patient you WILL be rewarded with a very enjoyable and silly movie. In fact, one of the very funniest parts will be missed by stupid people—you know, the folks who leave the theater the second the credits begin to roll. Watch and listen…as the closing song is the funniest heavy metal tune of all-time…or at least funnier than Dee Snider in spandex.

All in all, I am very glad I saw the film—especially because, as a teacher, I was forced to watch too many plays starring students who (on rare occasions) I WISH had met similar fates as the teens in this film!!

Note: Please don't tell my wife about the last part. Thanks…I owe you one.

Kylie Swanson is murdered by a masked killer after performing the lead on opening night in a musical. Ten years later, her children Camilla and Buddy are working in the kitchen of Center Stage, a financially strapped camp for the performing arts, run by Roger McCall (Meat Loaf). When the camp holds the same musical, Camilla auditions for the lead despite Buddy's objection.

This is a dark comedy musical horror. If some of that doesn't fit well, it is to be expected. Minnie Driver only has a short cameo. The musical is nothing to write home about. The comedy is mostly lacking except for the band. As for the horror, there is a difficulty in that most of the campers are actual kids outside of the older leads. After the first murder, the kids need to run. The only way to do this right is to hide the bodies. There's a reason why most killers do their business before the little campers arrive. This is a try-hard musical theater group and there is a bit of comedic tension from that. I do appreciate somebody trying to do something slightly different. I don't think it works. Instead of a kids' camp, this could be a regional theater with a Waiting for Guffman situation.