The Horror genre is one that continuously works to create new and fresh ideas that push the envelope. Sometimes simplicity works too. Ritesh Gupta’s horror flick The Red Mask offers a fresh take and the simplicity of the horror formula we know and love.
In The Red Mask, outspoken queer screenwriter Allina Green (Helena Howard) is chosen to pen the final instalment of the legendary slasher franchise ‘The Red Mask’. Anger, outrage, and online death threats from die-hard fans cause a rift in her relationship with reticent fiancé Deetz (Inanna Sarkis).
Desperate for a creative breakthrough, the pair escapes to a secluded Airbnb, where Allina concocts a dangerous game to play to unlock her writer’s block. But when Claire (Kelli Garner) and Ryan (Jake Abel), two uninvited houseguests, crash the scene, the weekend turns dark, and a twisted contest devolves into a duel to the death.
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As a fan of the horror film genre, this was the first time I watched one featuring a queer couple. And a mixed-race one at that. Though this was the case, The Red Mask doesn’t necessarily make that a focal point of the story. But there are moments.
Specifically in the way that Allina is cyberbullied on the platform “Z,” which is basically like a version of “X.” She’s called out on the platform by the hardcore fans who think her version of ‘The Red Mask’ will be “woke, and queer.” She’s also referred to a few times as a DEI hire.
Allina is under considerable pressure. And all the while, her relationship with Deetz is rocky because she has been keeping her relationship a secret from her family. Allina is struggling to create the perfect formula for a slasher film that was popular in the 80s. That’s no easy task. Considering the original film was highly controversial and pushed the limits in ways that would now be frowned upon.
As Allina and Deetz try to weave a cohesive story through their “Game Theory,” in which they play out various scenarios (They’re up to 28 at this point), Claire and Ryan show up. And everything changes.
Allina learns the two uninvited houseguests happen to be die-hard fans of ‘The Red Mask.’ They are not happy with the way she plans to alter the structure of the original. This sets in motion yet another “Game Theory.” It soon becomes something more than what Allina or Deetz had planned for.
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The thing that makes The Red Mask work is that it’s a film that knows exactly what it’s about. And it follows the horror formula of the stalker slasher. As I watched it, I wondered if Gupta was a fan of Stephen King stories. The plot reminded me of Misery in some ways.
The isolation in the cabin, the screenwriter dealing with writer’s block, and the obsessed fans who don’t want anything to change about their beloved film. The Red Mask also doesn’t shy away from the blood and gore of the classic horror film. There’s the awesome trope of the final girl (Not revealing because spoilers). The scares were there. And Gupta knows how to create the tension that lets you know something is not quite right.
And I may or may not have yelled at my screen a few times while watching. If you love horror films that follow this classic formula but with a modern-day twist, The Red Mask is one to check out.
The Red Mask screened at Screamfest Horror Film Festival.
