Should you dare to venture the streets on Halloween, you might just be the next up for slaughter at the hands of Trick; a holiday boogie man harboring a proclivity for murderous chaos. Such is the premise of the chilling new release from RLJE Films and horror director heavy-hitter, Patrick Lussier (My Bloody Valentine 3D).

Trick follows the victims of a Halloween night massacre, as their murderous nightmare comes home after many years to finish off the survivors. Starring Omar Epps, Ellen Adair, Kristina Reyes, Jamie Kennedy, and Tom Atkins.

There’s much to find fiendishly satisfying about Trick, mainly how it manages to capture the blood-pumping fun of a quintessential slasher flick. Peppered throughout the runtime are many loving nods toward Halloween 3: Season of the Witch, and the Michael Myers legacy – from an infamous killer pumpkin mask to a sizable Tom Atkins cameo. And since we’re on the topic, arguably one of the biggest highlights of the film is Tom At-mutha-fuckin-kins! The decorated 80s hunk returns to the screen with steadfast swagger as the small-town businessman, Talbott. Each scene with this horror icon will make you laugh till it hurts.

Scanning this film for cinematic sins is a tough task amidst its spooky fun, but there are still a solid few which merit discussion. The main criticism is that of the film’s pacing, which feels needlessly rushed as an attempt to get from kill sequence to kill sequence in record time. This is especially present during the first act which follows the protagonist, Detective Denver, as he tracks down the killer over a series of years. As a consequence, there isn’t enough allotted time to acutely develop an empathetic supporting cast outside of the stereotypes needed for plot progression. But where Trick flounders in its pacing, it certainly makes up for with some positively awesome kills. They are all campy and grotesque methods in which Trick offs his prey, but done in the most serious of circumstances; similar to the kills of 2018’s Hell Fest.

Despite any lapses in the composition, it’s clear to see that this film’s DNA is laced with the same boogieman craze and creativity required to make a memorable genre film. It would be a foolish choice to leave your door unlocked prior to watching. Trick is set for thetrical release, as well as On Demand and Digital HD on October 18, 2019.