Chopping Mall (1986)

Last night, I sat back and decided to venture into the world of alien documentaries and that is what I reviewed. Tonight, I am going back to a film I watched early in the week, Chopping Mall from 1986.

Plot/ Eight teenagers are trapped after hours in a high-tech shopping mall and pursued by three murderous security robots out of control.

I remember the disappointment I had when this one came out and I discovered it wasn’t the slasher film that I expected. While I am not saying that this one is terrible, I am just pointing out the disconnect that exists between the cover art, title, and the actual film. That is not to say that this is not a fun and entertaining trip into 1980s low-budget cheese. This horror/sci-fi mixture comes complete with all the elements that made movies of the era what they were. There are some boobs, blood, and a strange storyline that was so ridiculous that the impossibilities made it ripe for mindless schlock. Plus, some of the effects, robots, performances, and direction were not bad considering the subject matter and budget. Yes, some of the kills are a touch absurd, most of it is unrealistic, and there are definitely times where you wonder why you are watching, but that is part of the fun. In the end, this is in no way a perfect flick, but it is one that shows the lasting importance of low budget horror. If you have not seen it, be warned this one is more sci-fi than slasher, but that means little. Find it and check it out.