Rush Week

RUSH WEEK

A nearly gore-free slasher film, Rush Week follows a female journalism major (Toni Daniels) as she bonds with the president (Jeff) of a rowdy fraternity (Beta Delta Beta) while researching a story on the “rush week” activities of her college’s Greek system.  When Toni learns that a co-ed has gone missing, she snoops around for clues in the hope of uncovering an even more exciting scoop for the school newspaper.  What Toni doesn’t know is that a masked axe-wielding killer in a black robe lurks on the campus, and he doesn’t appreciate her nosing around asking questions about his first victim of the year.  Toni ultimately crosses paths with the murderer (who claims two additional victims in the meantime) for a final showdown.

This project stars Pamela Ludwig (who portrayed the hero’s love interest in the wonderful coming-of-age teen rebellion film Over the Edge) as Toni, and I sought out Rush Week specifically to see Ludwig in a starring role.  The film has a few flaws (Toni falls in love with Jeff awfully fast after brushing him off at their first meeting) but held my interest as I tried to guess the identity of the killer.  There are plenty of suspects around in addition to Jeff: there’s the creepy cafeteria cook who snaps racy photos of female student models late at night in the science building, the Dean of Students whose own daughter was killed the previous year, plus Jeff’s assorted fraternity buddies.  Rush Week is relatively tame as slasher films go (even the decapitation of the killer during the climax is fairly blood-free) and has a small body count.  The movie might appeal to those who enjoy the stalk-and-slash fare of the 1980s with “who is the killer” mysteries woven in.  More discerning horror fans will want to steer clear.  Rush Week is not a bad little tale, but nor is it particularly memorable.