Hi-Fear

"Hi-Fear" - (Wild Eye Releasing/Nightfall Pictures)

This is the final entry in the "Hi" horror trilogy which was preceded by 2013's "Hi-8" and 2018's "Hi-Death." And it is a fun way to say goodbye to the series. Presented in four segments with each segment created by a different director, the film stars Kristin Lorenz as a young artist who is hired by a mysterious character (not seen but heard as the "voice of fear" and played by David Sobel) to illustrate each segment for use in a comic book. While the voice puts her on a tight deadline, Natalie (Lorenz) doesn't have much of a problem coming up with the art until her fourth and final assignment. The first segment deals with three guys who go to a brothel to celebrate the birthday of one of them; the birthday boy gets cold feet and, well, things don't turn out as planned as maggots, slime, references to Aleister Crowley and assorted other scary things ensue. The second segment is a bit of a convoluted story about a malignant injectable drug that causes all kinds of unspeakable horrors and is maybe a reference to the "tranq" epidemic that is going on in real life. And just when you think you can see the ending coming, there are a few twists and surprises in store. The third segment focuses on LSD casualty "Krazy Killer Karl;" his name alone should give you a good hint at what's in store. Finally Natalie gets her final assignment and the voice tells her to scare herself to death! Lorenz is one of the few actors in the film who can actually act, most of the rest are terrible but that actually enhances the fun. Good scares and good laughs abound in "Hi-Fear."

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