Dan Lantz’s ‘HAYRIDE TO HELL’ (2024) – Movie Review – PopHorror

This movie thrilled me. As a farm kid, I could relate closely to people trying to steal your land. But what happens when you fire back with deadly intentions? Could you hide them from danger? Hayride to Hell is a movie about revenge. It also works so well. It is not the type of movie you hear about anymore; this subgenre is gold to me.

Synopsis

Farmer Sam has been having an issue with people trying to coax him out of his land due to his haunted hayride. Farmer Sam makes the decision to have one last hayride, a dangerous one. One By one he has his revenge, Sherrif Jubel sets out on a mission to stop the madness. However Farmer Sam wont make it easy.

Dan Lantz directed the film, which stars horror icons Bill Moseley and Kane Hodder.

The Saving Grace

It is refreshing to see a good B movie after so many letdowns.  Hayride to Hell had me both laughing and cringing. The plot was original, and you could feel the passion of each character playing right into their role, which was also refreshing. Movies like Hayride to Hell fall back to an enjoyable time in horror. Instead of arthouse movies, it digs deep and rolls right into chaos. The kills are also great. It’s not too over the top, but it’s not lacking either. It’s a perfect mix, and not many can master that anymore.

I love the horror community, and movies like this are why I love horror movies. It takes me back to the days of sitting in front of the TV as a kid watching people get massacred. Maybe five years old wasn’t a healthy time to be getting into horror, but I loved horror already; there was no turning back. Hayride to Hell reminds me of all those movies. Is it the best acting? No, but it doesn’t have to be when it comes to slashers. The storyline has room for ten sequels and the scenery and mood casually mix to form one giant A+.

In The End

I wish there were more movies like Hayride to Hell. We all need something fun that isn’t dull. Hayride to Hell, will have you glued to the screen. It’s a constant waiting for the moment, and the buildup isn’t too drawn out. The movie moves quickly, but the idea of taking people on a haunted hayride to kill them off throughout the tour is not hard to piece together. Having worked at a haunt myself, the scenery reminded me of my goal to terrorize people. I just can’t kill them off like Farmer Sam.

I think Sam is up there with my favorite movie villains. Kane Hodder and Bill Moseley work well together. Also, Hayride to Hell was the perfect story of being driven to harm others. He is doing what all of rural America wants to do. Farmers are constantly losing their land. It’s about time we get a movie that recognizes that.