''Skinned Deep'' is a 2004 American

comedy horror Comedy horror, also known as horror comedy, is a literary genre, literary, television genre, television, and film genre that combines elements of comedy and horror fiction. Comedy horror has been described as able to be categorized under three ty ...

film written, produced and directed by Gabriel Bartalos in his directorial debut. The film stars Les Pollack, with a supporting cast of Aaron Sims, Kurt Carley,

Linda Weinrib Linda may refer to: As a name * Linda (given name), a female given name (including a list of people and fictional characters so named) * Linda (singer) (born 1977), stage name of Svetlana Geiman, a Russian singer * Anita Linda (born Alice Lake i ...

Forrest J Ackerman Forrest James Ackerman (November 24, 1916 – December 4, 2008) was an American magazine editor; science fiction authors, science fiction writer and literary agent; a founder of science fiction fandom; a leading expert on science fiction, horror ...

, Eric Bennett, and

Warwick Davis Warwick Ashley Davis (born 3 February 1970) is an English actor. He played the title character in ''Willow'' (1988) and the ''Leprechaun'' film series (1993–2003), several characters in the ''Star Wars'' film series (1983–2019), most nota ...

Plot

An old man, while driving, is attacked by a man wearing a metal mask, "Surgeon General" (Kurt Carley). Surgeon General runs the man off the road and kills him, before destroying the man's car. While taking a family trip, the Rockwell family become lost on the highway. When their car gets a flat, father Phil (Eric Bennett) goes to a convenience store to find help and a strange old woman invites them to stay with her while one of her sons fixes their car. She introduces the family to her strange sons: Plates (

), Brain (Jason Dugre), and one whom the woman calls "Surgeon General". When Mrs. Rockwell takes a picture of Surgeon General, he kills her. Plates starts throwing plates at Phil, who is then murdered by Surgeon General. The Rockwell children, Tina and Matthew, escape through a window and are pursued by Surgeon General and Plates. Matthew taunts Surgeon General who swipes at him and splits him in two. Tina is captured and knocked out. When she wakes up she is in a room covered in newspapers where she escapes out of a trap door. She finds a couple old bikers from part of a gang at the convenience store being served coffee by the old woman and begs for help from the family. She gets recaptured and it's assumed the gang are killed in a cutscene. Brain takes Tina to a park and shows her how to ride a motorcycle. In the end Tina manages to kill and escape the strange family, where she finds help from a policeman who turns out to be similar to the strange family.

Cast

as Forrey *

Eric Benet The given name Eric, Erich, Erikk, Erik, Erick, or Eirik is derived from the Old Norse name ''Eiríkr'' (or ''Eríkr'' in Old East Norse due to monophthongization). The first element, ''ei-'' may be derived from the older Proto-Norse ''* ain ...

as Phil Rockwell * Jason Dugre as Brain *

as Plates * Karoline Brandt as Tina Rockwell * Peter Iasillo, Jr. as Petey * Kurt Carley as Surgeon General * Bill Butts as Graine * Jeremy Tuck as Michael Scott * Neil Dooley as Pig Pen *

Joel Harlow Joel Harlow (born February 2, 1968) is an American make-up artist. He works steadily in many high-profile films. Harlow won an Academy Award for his work in the successful film '' Star Trek'' (2009), subsequently receiving another two nomination ...

as Octobaby * Jim O'Donoghue as Sheriff

Release

Reception

Dennis Harvey of ''

Variety Variety may refer to: Arts and entertainment Entertainment formats * Variety (radio) * Variety show, in theater and television Films * ''Variety'' (1925 film), a German silent film directed by Ewald Andre Dupont * ''Variety'' (1935 film), ...

'' commended the film for its over-the-top set pieces, humor and break-neck pacing, calling it "funny and perversely monotonous".

Dread Central Dread Central is an American website founded in 2006 that is dedicated to horror news, interviews, and reviews. It covers horror films, comics, novels, and toys. Dread Central has won the Rondo Hatton Classic Horror Award for Best Website f ...

's Steve Barton rated the film a score of two and a half out of five, commending the character designs, music, Davis's performance, and production values. Barton, however, criticized the film's cliches, and derivative plot. Ryan Larson from

Bloody Disgusting Bloody Disgusting is an American multi-media company, which began as a horror genre-focused news site/website specializing in information services that covered various horror medias, including: film, television, video games, comics, and music. ...

called it "one of the most completely bonkers horror films of the 2000s", praising the film's effects, 80s retro style, and energetic pacing.

References

External links

* * * {{DEFAULTSORT:Skinned Deep 2004 films 2004 comedy horror films 2004 directorial debut films 2000s American films 2000s chase films 2000s English-language films 2000s police procedural films 2000s serial killer films American films about revenge American chase films American comedy horror films American police detective films American serial killer films American splatter films Films about mass murder Films about violence