A serial killer stalks the grounds of Central Park, on the hunt for fresh young prey among the homeless and the horrible. It’s not long before six school friends stumble into his path, planning to get drunk and high in Central Park after dark. But what is this masking tape-faced killer playing at, and how does it relate to Harold’s dad’s Ponzi scheme?
There’s a lot going on with director Justin Reinsilber’s inner city slasher film, and it’s not always terribly coherent. The story is a maze of subplots, storylines and characters – some of which pay off more than others. The Ponzi motive, for example, never really plays into the plot in any meaningful way. It certainly never feels personal, even as The Man (Reinsilber himself) picks off and slaughters his victims, one at a time. There’s never been a better time for a killer who preys on the over-privileged offspring of corrupt businessmen (not even 2017, when this film was first made), but this one is disappointingly tame.
But we can’t fault Central Park its ambition. This is more than just another low-rent, low-budget slasher film, and there are some interesting ideas at play here. The Central Park setting is a lot of fun, shot entirely on location after dark. The director of photography, Eun-ah Lee takes advantage of New York’s grime, giving the film a down-and-dirty Giallo feel at times. While Reinsilber could have taken better advantage of the park when staging his kills, it’s agreeably brutal when the story calls for it. Still not as scary as Home Alone 2: Lost in New York, though.
Like New York City itself, Central Park is a dense melting pot, its distinctive ideas and identities threatening to overwhelm the fairly basic but enjoyable slasher film at its core.
Release Date: April 26th (Digital)
