Decoys (DVD)

Do you enjoy campy sci-fi horror movies like Humanoids From the Deep, Species, (and especially) The Faculty? If so, you will love Decoys, the latest direct-to-DVD sex and gore flick out of Canada. Taking place on a cold college campus in the dead of winter, a rash of bizarre deaths has the local police baffled and two college freshmen suspicious of the blonde hotties in the school's most popular sorority. These hot chicks literally freeze their suitors to death -- from the inside out -- with their killing kisses. There are some great (great, given the budget) special effects here, and they are very creatively rendered.

There's not a pronounced, epic plot here. Basically, Decoys is Porkys-meets-Alien as horny college boys seek to get laid, only to find that their quarry are otherworldly killers. There is a spunky little plot-twist (which I won't dare reveal) which adds to the fun, and even makes you care about these rather shallow boys and girls just a little bit.

Successfully teetering on the edge of spoof and horror, Decoys has spirited characters and chuckle-inducing dialogue that's funny in all the right places. The only "name" in the cast, Nicole Eggert, is pretty much wasted in a throw-away role as a small town cop. Unknowns (except to members of their families and fan clubs) Corey Sevier, Stefanie von Pfetten, Kim Poirier, Elias Toufexis, and Meghan Ory carry the picture and they do a truly admirable job. It's not easy to blend yuks with yucks, but the director (feature first timer, Matthew Hastings) led them well. There are some really kooky, creative death scenes that are sure to stick with you long after the DVD has gone back into its keepcase.

There is only one featurette, but it is long and involved. Probably too long and involved, as it is repetitious and reveals too much of the plot (if you haven't already seen the film; and if you have seen the film, then the constant barrage of clips will only serve to bore you).

(by Staci Layne Wilson)