By Chris Summerfield
The movie begins within the swamps of New Orleans where two fisherman being father and son are out and about, Sampson (Robert Englund) goes missing and his son Ainsley (Joshua Leonard) finds his dad gutted then is attacked himself, having his arm pulled off then is slaughtered. This sure sets’ the tone for the movie, making you aware it’s going to be bloody and gory.
The movie then goes to the, Mardi Gras, in New Orleans, where five students are there for the festival, and this movie is not shy of nudity and youthful banter. Two of the students, Ben (Joel Moore) and Marcus (Deon Richmond) decide upon checking out the haunted swamp tours, the tours willing to take you in to the swamp where the legend of “Crawley” the deformed mutant that suppose roams the swamps lives. Crawley as a child, having been maimed while is father was trying to break down the door to rescue him as the house was on fire. Got to say a tragic little story behind the antagonist and what fuels his anger.
Ben decides upon the tour, Marcus joining, though only after seeing two fit women upon the tour, Ben wanting to go on the tour to have a break from the razzmatazz of the festival, especially since he is nursing a broken heart.
The tour guide, being very inexperienced and his passengers made up of a mixed bag of people, one particular being Marybeth (Tamara Fledman) her father and brother being murdered at the beginning and seeking answers, soon plays a major part in this movie… Then before you know it disaster strikes and the boat crashes and begins to sink, leaving them all stranded within the swamp (in which is predictable in these type of movies) not long after they begin to be attacked by, Crawley (Kane Hodder) in very gory and sometimes disgusting ways. The race is on to get out of the swamps as they dwindle under the slaughter of Crawley.
This movie is a watchable movie and at times gripping, funny and bloody disgusting, and I enjoyed the fact, Anthony Tony Todd was in even though he played a very small part as Rev Zombie, though does feature in the sequel. As for a rumour there is to be a possible 3rd and 4th sequel somewhat frightens me, as I did feel the second kind of brought closure.
Rating: 6.5/10