Eerie. Creepy. Bleak. Wilderness slasher horror. Jeff Lieberman's «Just Before Dawn» is a somewhat overlooked slasher movie, but it is the quintessential of what a slasher movie should be. In my early teens (mid-eighties) my friends and I used to watch this gem over and over and over. As much as it scared us, we really loved it. The plot is pretty basic: Five campers (you got the stereotypes, the hunk, the babe, the geek etc.) go to some red neck mountaintop to indulge in youthful ... whatever, despite ignoring several warnings from the local forest ranger («there's demons in the forest» - which turns out to be some inbred, mutant hillbilly maniac killers). Of course the loonie mountain men stalk the campers. And then the fun begins. No, it's not «Seven» or «Zodiac». It's a low budget slasher movie from 1981, but it still stands the test of time. Think «The Texas Chainsaw Massascre meets «Deliverance» and «The Hills Have Eyes». The soundtrack is bleak, low key and blends natural with the forest sounds to create a dark, sinister mood. The acting is pretty solid, and the machete swinging killers are your worst nightmare. 8 stars out of 10.

I somehow stumbled across 'Just Before Dawn' on the IMDb a week or so ago and read the synopsis which promised a "genuinely shocking twist". So being a lover of twists (and horror) I went and tracked down a copy to give it a look. What I got was a film with nothing remotely like a "genuinely shocking twist", but a film that had enough going on to keep the viewer interested and watching, and thus became passable.The twist really didn't have a lot going for it. It was poorly revealed (a very key element to any twist) and just frankly wasn't that shocking. It changed almost nothing regarding the story or plot. In later years the "two killer" twist would be perfected by the 'Scream' series directed by Wes Craven proving it's a twist that can work if executed correctly. Here it was not.There's just enough here to keep a modern audience satisfied and nothing more. Horror really hasn't aged well from the 70's and 80's. Back in 1981 this may have been a well made, horrifying story but in the modern age it simply can't hold a candle to what is being produced. That's why it's always tough to go back and watch old horror movies. I've certainly seen worse from around the same era, but I've also seen better. I don't think this one will stick in my memory.

"Just Before Dawn" truly captures the feeling of the Oregon woods, that is, if it were inhabited by a family of inbred maniacs. Having been there myself a couple times, the movie magnificently showcases the beautiful scenery of the area, as well as being an awesome slasher.Five teens go exploring on new land that one of them acquired, much to the dissuasion of multiple people. Through many tense sequences, they are stalked by a pair of twin inbred giants, as well as trying to navigate and survive the dense foliage and natural pitfalls of the land. The twins remind one of Michael Myers, unrelenting, brutal monsters with an urge to kill. In one memorable scene, not even a tree can stop them, which after being climbed by one girl, a twin proceeds to methodically cut it down, just to reach his victim.The atmosphere is outstanding, with the low lighting of the overall film making it even more gritty and dense. Something about being lost in the woods is just extremely frightening in and of itself to imagine. There are some very interesting and unique nuances that take place, such as the five campers interacting with the local family multiple times, and the ranger being around throughout. The last twenty minutes or so are probably the best, as the film just builds and builds. It also includes one of the best "final girl" scenes ever committed to film."Just Before Dawn" is an outstanding example of what atmosphere and simplicity can do to power a movie. Location can create fear and horror just as much as the "demons" that hide within it.

On the surface, Just Before Dawn sounds just like dozens of other killer hillbilly slasher films. Whitebread Warren buys some property in the gorgeous Oregon mountains and takes his girlfriend Cowering Connie, prankster friend Jokey Jonathan and his girlfriend Makeup-obsessed Megan, and Jonathan's brother Danny (aka 5th Wheel) to visit the new digs. They're warned away from the area by a ranger, a prior survivor, AND a creepy mountain family but you know how it is...and they've got a deed! Anyway, things go wrong our cast members meet the wrong end of some sharp things. Typical 80s slasher, but Jeff Lieberman really manages to make it something special. The woods are both beautiful and ominous, the main characters actually seem like they'd be friends in real life, there's decent gore,a fun twist, and a nice example of a character finding some inner strength. Sure, I would have liked a higher body count but that's really my only quibble. Give this one a chance and you might like it.