Powerful

Absolutely the worst movie.

Absolutely Brilliant!

This is a coming of age storyline that you've seen in one form or another for decades. It takes a truly unique voice to make yet another one worth watching.

I first saw this on a VHS in the late 80s. Revisited it recently on a DVD. The movie begins in a forest where two hunters stumble upon an abandon n dilapidated church in the middle of nowhere. Suddenly one of the guy sees somebody on the rooftop n he goes out to check. A psycho rams a machete in the other guy through the crotch and it comes out of his ass. This kill is easily the best one in the whole movie. Sadly, the rest of the death scenes are unimaginative, off screen n pale in comparison. The movie changes into a typical slasher one from now on. A group of 5 people, a very young Gregg Henry among 'em, heads towards the same mountain side to visit property inherited by one of them but r warned by the forest ranger (George Kennedy). Sadly Kennedy wasn't there too much. I was expecting a fight between him n the huge frame psychos. But there wasn't any duel. Director Jeff Lieberman does a truly outstanding job depicting the raw backwoods country. The movie dragged at times, unnecessary camp fire jokes, bad dancing, bad nudity, some bad acting n very bad editing. The lake scene was creepy n tension filled though. The best part were the sceneries. It has some really good cinematography n atmosphere. Some cool waterfalls, lakes, cliffs, rocky terrains, etc.

JBD has something that a lot of other horror films lack. I knew that the first time I saw it. It stands above many others. It's funny to think this when it's scenario here is nothing knew. The film even has better actors for this type of flick, none better than Gregg Henry, and it's great to see him play a good guy. The actress playing his girlfriend, looks like a female version of him. Are they related? Again, despite the warning of an old buzzard (horror icon, George Kennedy, who else) not to venture into these dangerous woods, of course they pay no heed. Henry and co proceed in their R.V. into this elevated terrain, below quite a drop, (kind of has you thinking of RV with Robin Williams). The killer family (cliched) are of course deformed, some of them giants, very much Wrong Turnish 1. As they trek out into the mountains, the movie takes it time to pick off it's victims (I like movies that work this way) they are picked off gradually. JBD, an unhurried frightener flick, maintains much suspense, throughout, which it never loses, some of it truly claustrophobic. This horror is one of those few, I've actually found truly and effectively scary. Some moments, truly jangle the senses. Violence is restrained here too. Although JBD with a lot of instances and happenings which are cliché'd, what it has great suspense, which a lot of other films lack this much in volume, it's story structured with a master disciplined touch. It has a less is more thing going for it. The unrelated ten minute opening too is one of grand suspense, in a movie that pushes all the right buttons. There is a warning, on the cover that the last ten minutes of the movie may be intense or disturbing. What an over exaggeration, you'll see what I'm talking about, when you see that image.

Liebermans' entry in the original slasher craze is definitely more well made and intelligent than some. In fact, in making it he wasn't so much inspired by "Friday the 13th" as he was "Deliverance". He and his crew make this a powerfully atmospheric outing, utilizing the real Oregon woods to great effect, and turn it into a fun survival-of-the-fittest yarn, even developing the two main characters in interesting ways. Five young adults venture into the Oregonian mountains to do some camping and check out the local land that one of them has supposedly inherited. Before long they begin to be victimized by a stealthy, heavyset psychopath. Slasher movie fanatics who watch this sort of thing for gore and/or nudity will be quite disappointed with Liebermans' film, as it's clear he has a different agenda going on. That's not to say, of course, that the women aren't attractive, or that there isn't some effective nastiness to be enjoyed. But what the director really wants to convey is the need to have a respect for nature - because it CAN kick your ass if you're not prepared. He begins with an intense opening set piece and generates some truly unnerving suspense; this is the kind of film that can have a viewer literally on the edge of their seat. It's also stylishly done; take note of one scene transition in particular. Brad Fiedel, who a few years later gained his fame with his theme for "The Terminator", supplies a music score that is chilling in its subtlety. (The whistling is a really nice touch.) The better than usual cast features some very familiar actors: Gregg Henry, Ralph Seymour, Jamie Rose, Mike Kellin, Chris Lemmon (Jacks' son), and George Kennedy as the veteran forest ranger who's aware that the area is fraught with danger. The gorgeous Deborah Benson, who really should have been able to enjoy a much more visible career, is a standout as the female lead who starts out as a rather tentative character, starts to cut loose, and ultimately finds her inner strength. John Hunsaker is extremely creepy as the killer. There's one well executed plot twist along the way, and at the end an innovative and memorable way of dispatching our villain. The pacing is deliberate, the camera-work and cinematography excellent, and the scenery beautiful, in what has to be one of the more unheralded horror films of its time. It comes highly recommended. Eight out of 10.

"Just Before Dawn" tells the tale of four young backpackers who are going to check out a piece of property in the woods that one of them has inherited. Sounds like every other slasher, right? Well, while it DOES have many of the slasher clichés that were ever so popular at the time, it surprisingly has depth and a unique, creepy style that many other of these movies lack. While the other films are good for some campy fun, this is one is not campy and is more creepy and disturbing. Not to mention it has one of the best endings in horror history. Check it out as soon as possible! Rated: R for Violence and Nudity.Grade: B+