The Prowler

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Farah R. @Farah Jan 20 The Prowler is smarter than most slashers that saturated the 80s, but it doesn’t utilize its interesting plot or formidable antagonist to their full potential. The killer only appears a few times and most of the carnage is carried out off screen. The main actress barely does anything yet the camera follows her for long stretches of uneventful scenes. I’d love to see The Prowler remade with better effects and writing. See more Justin T Jan 19 This is probably one of the better slashers of the eighties. All of the elements are there: plenty of people getting killed off in bloody gory ways, a masked killer, a twist (that I found predictable but I didn’t mind) and some nudity. This slasher is slightly different as it is set at the end of the Second World War. The outfit that the killer wears looks pretty cool. Not the goriest or the most suspenseful but better than most of the era. See more Jeepers C Oct 25 This is why I love 80's horror. Tom S. and his practical effects are in full force. A fun, horror movie of the past. See more Stephen C @bob25009 Jul 28 Success in 1 hour and 28 minutes!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! See more Garry A @heavyg Jun 22 The killer dressed in WWII garbage was cool. A couple of the kills were too. The problem is there were too few of them and most of the movie was boring See more TheMovieSearch R @TheMovieSearch Jun 18 Revisiting The Prowler in 2025 feels like opening a time capsule from horror’s golden age — a relic from when slashers were raw, practical, and unapologetically grimy. Directed by Joseph Zito and released in 1981, this film arrived at the height of the post-Halloween and Friday the 13th slasher boom, when masked killers and isolated settings ruled the genre. Four decades later, it still holds a peculiar power. It’s not perfect by any stretch, but it carries that eerie charm and intensity that only practical, analog-era horror can deliver. Zito’s direction captures the essence of what made early ’80s horror memorable: long shadows, slow pans, and the lingering uncertainty of not knowing where the killer might emerge from next. The setup is familiar — a traumatized war veteran returns years later to exact revenge during a small-town graduation dance — but what makes The Prowler stand out is its mood. Rather than leaning on cheap jump scares, it thrives on the kind of drawn-out tension that creeps under your skin. It’s deliberate, brooding, and soaked in that heavy atmosphere of dread that modern horror rarely replicates. However, the film’s pacing and performances sometimes work against its tension. The final act, in particular, loses steam when it should be at its most gripping. The infamous scene between Pam and the older man — a long, awkward stare that drags on endlessly — feels unintentionally comedic. Instead of heightening the suspense, it exposes the film’s uneven tone. What follows, a brief resurrection scare before the killer’s final demise, is clumsily executed and undercuts what could have been a truly chilling finale. Pam, the film’s “final girl,” doesn’t quite live up to her genre predecessors like Laurie Strode or Alice Hardy. While she carries the movie’s climax, her reactions often feel stilted, almost rehearsed. There’s a lack of authenticity in her fear that makes it difficult to root for her survival. Similarly, the deputy — clearly intended as the rugged supporting hero — feels miscast. His awkward delivery and mismatched appearance create more distraction than sympathy, leaving audiences disengaged from his arc. Where The Prowler does succeed, though, is in its visceral craftsmanship. Tom Savini’s special effects work remains one of the film’s standout achievements. The kills are brutal, practical, and uncompromising — a reminder of just how effective in-camera effects can be when handled by an artist of Savini’s caliber. The bayonet impalement and pitchfork sequence, in particular, showcase the kind of tactile horror that defined the era. These scenes have aged surprisingly well, offering a gruesome authenticity that digital gore simply can’t replicate. Ultimately, The Prowler is a film best appreciated for what it represents rather than what it perfects. It’s a product of its time — flawed, uneven, and occasionally absurd — but it embodies the spirit of early slasher cinema in all its gritty, blood-soaked glory. For horror fans seeking nostalgia, it’s a fascinating watch: a movie that bridges the raw brutality of Maniac with the small-town eeriness of My Bloody Valentine. Despite its shortcomings, it remains a chilling, atmospheric entry in the slasher pantheon, a film that proves even after forty years, the prowler in the shadows can still make your skin crawl. See more Read all reviews

The Prowler

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