1. THE CHARLOTTE OBSERVER
VAPID TEENS ARE REAL HORROR IN ‘PROM NIGHT’
CARTOONISH SLASHER FILM HAS DEAD BODIES,
BLOOD, BUT FEW THRILLS
Saturday, April 26, 2008
Section: FAITH
Edition: ONE-THREE
Page: 7E
Type: REVIEW
KIMBERLY SUMMERS, Special Correspondent
Column: KIMBERLY SUMMERS - TEEN SCREENS
Illustration: PHOTO
Caption: SONY PICTURES PHOTO. Brittany Snow and Scott Porter lead a cast of non-
dimensional characters in the less than thrilling thriller "Prom Night."
I was warned if I watched "Prom Night" that brain cells would deteriorate and be lost in translation.
Not taking this caveat into consideration, I saw it.
On the contrary, my brain cells didn't die - they were fried from having heard one too many "Oh my
gosh!" or "We'll always be friends forever." The whole movie seemed too surreal. From Brittany
Snow's perfectly bleached blonde hair to the manicured nails, everything was cartoonish. The whole
movie was an exaggerated, dumbed-down version of MTV's "Laguna Beach."
We're introduced to ripened freshman Donna (Snow), who's higher-strung than a yo-yo and has
more energy than the Energizer Bunny: You could plug her in and get enough electricity to keep
the city of New York running for a few years. The gamut of her emotions was infinite.
She arrives home from school to find her brother and father dead and eventually witnesses the
death of her mother. The murderer is her obsessive teacher, Mr. Fenton, who wants to be with
Donna at any cost. (I know teachers' salaries are low, but don't take it out on students: Try the
school system first.) After three years among the padded walls, Fenton escapes. He checks in at the
hotel where Donna's prom takes place, and the cat and mouse hunt begins.
During his series of unfortunate and unintentionally comic attempts to get to Donna, her equally
ditzy friends trip over air, run into countless traps and bump into insignificant items to try to give
the audience a scare.
Why this is considered a horror flick is beyond me. Just because the director is successful in setting
a "Silence of the Lambs" scene and splashes blood, concocting a high body count, it's not the least
bit scary. Suspenseful, maybe, if you include the "nail-biting" music that culminates in a character
coming face-to-face with a terrifying lamp.
Of course, I was in the midst of a cluster of 13-year-olds who screamed at every trivial scene. For
them I weep, because this will be their omen for the prom. Though my own prom is approaching in
a few weeks, I don't think only one teacher will be chaperoning it, as in the movie - and the P.E.
teacher at that. Nor do I think every other student will walk in with a bottle of booze stashed away

2. in a tux.
I weep for the cast, too, because lead and supporting actors were given non-dimensional characters
to sink their teeth into. They became the equivalent of Barbies: plastic, fake and full of nothing.
Everyone reminisces about high school proms, but this "Prom Night" won't be one to remember.
"Prom Night" is rated PG-13 for violence and terror, some sexual material, underage drinking and
language.