A Halloween party at a rundown farmhouse turns deadly when someone in the costume of Hogeye High School's Indian warrior mascot begins attacking teenagers with hatchets and arrows. "Varsity Blood" (2014) is an independent film made on a small budget, reminiscent of slasher movies from the early 1980s and incorporating familiar elements of that genre. I found the concept of the killer using the school's mascot costume to be original. The female characters are attractive, with one exception who fits the stereotypical thin build. Lexi Giovagnoli delivers a noteworthy performance as Hannah, the central character, although there are other women in supporting roles who also make an impression. The film’s production values are decent, particularly given the limited resources available, though I felt the story could have benefited from more suspense. Despite this, I was struck by the overall quality of the filmmaking. However, the acting feels stiff at times, as if the performers were simply reading their lines; it doesn't happen constantly, but frequently enough to detract from the film’s impact. Writer/director Jake Helgren really needed actors with more experience, but clearly lacked the funding for that. Still, if you can adjust to the somewhat formal dialogue, this is an enjoyable, conventional slasher movie. As is typical in these kinds of films, some characters are unpleasant, while others are likeable or at least tolerable. The well-known football film “Varsity Blues” (1999) was filmed at the same high school where "Varsity Blood" takes place; it's also Helgren’s former school. The movie has a running time of 1 hour, 27 minutes and was shot just east of Austin, Texas, in Elgin, Smithville, Bastrop & McDade. Elgin was formerly called Hogeye, the name of the town featured in the story, but it was changed for understandable reasons. GRADE: C/C-

Source on TMDB