There's very little territory to mine in the "mad slasher" genre...it was all done in the 80's, re-done in the 90's and has been "retro" done again ever since. A recent trend has been to drop the pretense of any "mystery" about who the killer is or what he/she wants and just aim directly for the nearest artery, and open it...on screen, with an unflinching camera. This has resulted in scads of thoroughly unpleasant low budget shocker flicks commonly labeled "torture porn." The genre itself is nothing new...Herschell Gordon Lewis mined the viscera field until there was nary an eyeball left to be stepped on in the late 60's. The 70's are ripe with truly unpleasant, mean-spirited, ugly little films that exist solely for lovers of human suffering and unrelenting grue to whack their puds to. And then of course there are "motion pictures" like the "guinea pig" series from Japan that take things to the furthest extremes imaginable...just because someone had to do it.Somewhere in the middle of all this is an efficient little direct-to-the-home-market piece of sludge called "Carver" that I found exceptional for a number of reasons. I resisted it at first...as I have grown up I'm no longer as interested in watching people suffer as I was as a teenager glued to pay-cable. But, like many fans I know, I'm always looking for something a little different than what the genre usually offers. By the time I saw this one I already knew about the infamous "outhouse scene" and was prepared for the worst. What I didn't expect was that the scene in question, and pretty much all the splatter, was the least interesting thing to me in the movie. I've found myself watching it on "Crackle" in its edited/censored form while doing other things around my place, because it makes good background distraction. Huh? My suspicion is that Franklin Guerrero Jr. is actually a competent and enthusiastic film director who is aware of the time-honored tradition of breaking into professional film directing via the low-budget genre. And as such, he also knows that the bar MUST be raised in order for a film to get noticed. So make a film that ups the ante on the disgust-o-meter and you're likely to at LEAST get a chance to make another film, as it seems Guerrero has done. "Carver" is nothing new, in fact it's old as the hills: stupid kids make the "mistake" of camping in a place where there's a vicious killer who then proceeds to kill them on-screen for, essentially, our edification. "Carver" adds a clever twist by incorporating the idea of voyeurism-via-film as part of the killer's motive, but that is, of course, beside the point. The "point" is blood, and much blood is spilled and yes, it is rather satisfying in a visceral, sick way when a film doesn't hold back (and the effects are reasonably well done). It IS disgusting, but as Helen Mirren said of her role in "The Cook, The Thief, His Wife And Her Lover," "It's all theater, darling..."But kudos to the stunningly attractive Ursula Taherian, who seems to be a very credible actress and deserves more work, beyond low budget horror. Cheers also to Neil Kubath--the director was smart to have him carry the film...he's got an interesting face that wears a look of confused disgust with the world around him that I know very well from having had a similar little brother myself. His delivery is unusual and his position in the movie perplexing (he's not a hero, not an anti-hero, he simply exists, until he doesn't anymore). But the presence of Kubath, Taherian and some of the others, the gore and the premise (and yes, That Scene) anchor what would otherwise be an utterly forgettable entry into the genre and make this one, in fact, at least to this viewer, rather memorable.

I have seen this movie recently.Its an okay movie. Director made an attempt to make a movie like Hostel, but it is not perfect.Lets think in real. Can't these guys in the movie defend themselves from that fat guy. The killer is like a python and is very slow moving. There are no other persons who can support the killer.Usually once they know something is going wrong, anybody will get alert and they find the ways to get rid of problem. Here, they never tried to escape from the slot.Movies like 'Last house on the left' has a perfect and tight story line which are very realistic.The last scene is like a joke. However, it has somewhat tense in the middle. People can enjoy who are new to gore movies.I give 5 out of 10.

Before I bought this DVD, i read that it was based on a true story, so i didn't know what to expect, until i watched. I can easily watch horror films, but this one made me flinch. It is centered on a group of friends Matt Carmody, Kristyn Green, Ursula Taherian, Natasha Malinsky, Neil Kubath and a few others, who take a detour and come across a family of deranged killers, who specializes in making snuff films. As the teens are hunted down one by one, they fight to find a way off the mountain so that they become a part of history. This movie was very gritty, gruesome and unbelievable. I only recommend this flick to those who are hardcore horror fans and can stomach every minute of this outrageous horror flick.

i guess we all have to start somewhere,this is one of those movies that one day will be remade maybe by the same guy and what he has learned will make him a better director/ producer.as stated the actors needed more depth, i did learn the words to turkey in the straw so not a total loss. the inn keeper or what ever that PLace was has a good southern accent most likely real, he may have been the bright spot. overall the movie was a bit too dark to see , i wanted to turn on all the lights in my house. gore was too dark to give the heave ho feeling, but again there actors did their best, script wise it was at least 2 rewrites from where it could be a much better movie and that is the problem now that i think of it.. the script was jumbled never flowed, so watch it learn from it , it was an indie i think but i have seen some kick butt indie movies ...clerk, a dogs breakfast, so i know it can be done..but someone told me horror films were the hardest to make and this proves it