Not surprisingly, Halloween makes logical sense for holiday-themed horror movies. And juxtaposing Christmas with horror marks the kind of transgression for which the genre strives. Other holidays make less sense. But we still have Fourth of July slasher Uncle Sam, Troma Entertainment’s Mother’s Day, an entire Leprechaun series, and New Year’s Evil. Later this year, Eli Roth finally delivers his Thanksgiving slasher promised years ago as a fake trailer for the Quentin Tarantino and Robert Rodriguez Grindhouse double-bill. But Easter hasn’t inspired too much in the way of horror. Several years ago Bunnyman Massacre – also known as Bunnyman 2 – hopped into the world. Yes, there’s apparently a Bunnyman part 1- a third movie called Bunnyman Vengeance capped off the trilogy. No one’s expecting a movie about killed dressed as the Easter Bunny to be good. But is Bunnyman Massacre so bad, it’s good?
Synopsis
A shop owner in a desolate town strikes up a partnership with a silent killer dressed in a bunny suit to keep his business stocked with fresh beef jerky.
Bunnyman Massacre Is 90 Minutes of Joyless, Dull Sort-Of Slasher Antics
Why Bunnyman Massacre and not the original Bunnyman? Tubi featured the second and third sequels for free, but no sign of part one. And no one in their right mind should be paying for a movie about a man dressed as a killer Easter Bunny. So it’s Bunnyman Masscare. All three movies come courtesy of writer and director Carl Lindbergh. How much the sequel builds on the first movie doesn’t really matter. There’s little to nothing in the way of a meaningful story. By and large, the sequel follows a deranged man in a bunny suit and his partner-in-crime, cannibalistic rural shop owner Joe, as they indiscriminately stalk and murder random characters. That’s pretty much it. Somehow Lindbergh stretches the premise across 90 whole minutes.
…the sequel follows a deranged man in a bunny suit and his partner-in-crime, cannibalistic rural shop owner Joe, as they indiscriminately stalk and murder random characters.
Those 90 minutes might have been pure Grindhouse fun if Lindbergh had followed through on his first scene. Though it’s wholly inappropriate, the opening scene of Bunnyman chainsawing his way through a bus load of school children at least promises an off-the-wall slasher. Instead, what follows is a dull, lazily paced mix of slasher and Torture Porn. Occasional bloodletting a budget is lots of unnecessarily drawn out scenes that completely lack suspense, scares, or fun. Neither a serious slasher nor a cheesy midnight movie, Bunnyman Massacre commits the worst sin – it’s boring.
Bunnyman Massacre Somehow Makes a Killer Dressed in a Bunny Suit Boring
Maybe Bunnyman introduced more of a backstory to its killer duo. No one would blame you for not caring to go back to find out. Here, Bunnyman is a silent, frustrated killer clearly paying homage – or just ripping off – Leatherface. In fact, Bunnyman Massacre liberally steals from far better slashers in what might be construed as a tribute. Unfortunately, David Scott’s ‘Joe’ does all the talking in a poor man’s drawl that’s reminiscent of just about every hillbilly killer from the rural horror subgenre. Both killers lack any sort of discernible personality.
In fact, Bunnyman Massacre liberally steals from far better slashers in what might be construed as a tribute.
What makes Bunnyman Massacre even more difficult to watch is its lack of any identifiable protagonist. That is, Lindbergh lets the story largely unfold from his killers’ perspective. Most of the victims are anonymous and interchangeable. You’ll be hard-pressed to remember anyone’s name. Indie ‘Scream Queen’ Jamie Bernadette (The 6th Friend, 420 Massacre) turns up for about two minutes. Two other character play sisters who have recently lost their parent – that’s about as much character as you’ll find. The lack of a sympathetic character means Bunnyman Massacre comprises itself with acts of violence feels pointless.
Bunnyman Massacre Is Sadly More Boring, Than Stupid
No one’s watching a slasher movie about a killer dressed as a bunny expecting something that’s remotely good. But Bunnyman Massacre could have been a wildly fun, stupid movie. Instead, Bunnyman Massacre if a boring, derivative low-budget slasher that has the nerve to think it can sustain just over 90 minutes. Someone should have told Lindbergh to lighten up a bit and have some fun with the premise.