Review: ‘Welcome Week’ delivers strong genre frights

The thing about anthologies is they’re often hit or miss. From Creepshow to ongoing series like V/H/S, strong entries mingle with the lackluster, turning in an admirable, if not deeply flawed, storyboard. But then there are those like Trick ‘R Treat that stretch the bounds of the genre and deliver on its premise. Thankfully, Welcome Week: A College Horror Anthology firmly lands in the latter category with strong, nail-biting stories to carve out its place in the horror landscape. The film, curated by some of today’s most promising filmmakers, sends goosebumps down the spine as it cultivates various sub-genres, from the satanic to slasher and contagion. Along the way, each installment rises to the occasion with terrible frights, bloody practical effects, and addicting style.

The wraparound story, “Welcome Week,” satiates the bloodlust of any slasher fan. Co-directors Ethan Gomez-Zahnley and Jack McDermott use trusty tropes (e.g. the masked killer) to delight and tease the audience, leaving them satisfied but hungry for more. The story is simple: dormmates Andrew (Jack Mayer) and Josh (Logan Weisberg) excitedly prepare for their first frat party. A killer in a doll mask, however, plots a horrifying night they’ll never forget.

During their fight for survival, Andrew shares stories about how his family is cursed — each of his four older siblings died under peculiar circumstances during their first week of college. Andrew, who underwent combat training ahead of enrolling at Takaki Memorial University, hopes to break the cycle. He’s understandably paranoid and even dons a bulletproof vest when getting ready for the Friday night rager.

The film cuts away here as Andrew plays the narrator, unraveling each chapter in grisly detail. As Andrew and Josh hunker down from the killer, the separate stories serve as interstitials to the overall story and allow the audience to enjoy a swatch of the best in genre storytelling.

“Bloodstream,” the strongest of the bunch, comes courtesy of director/writer Ryan Ranc, who utilizes YouTube culture to comment on our cultural obsession to document every facet of our lives and constantly chase engagement. College freshman Elias (Marcos Vega) launches a YouTube page to share his first week of college, but when his roommate Damien (Michael Payton) begins exhibiting strange behavior, Elias turns his videos into an amateur investigation. As he tracks Damien’s every move, he draws closer to uncovering the sinister truth about his roommate.

Another surefire standout, “Sore Throat” (directed by Blake Douglas) stars Andrew Solari as Lucas, a freshman whose roommate contracts a mysterious new disease. Puss-filled zits and other symptoms characterize the illness that spreads at an alarming rate among the other residents. To save his own life, Vince (Angelo Kern) must perform an emergency tracheostomy on himself or suffocate from his swelling throat. Douglas, who taps into collective fears of the unknown, makes great use of practical effects to make your stomach do cartwheels.

Where “Fresher’s” (directed by Leonidas Ibarra) keeps its cards close to the vest, regaling a mysterious tale about Marie (Riodhna Bhreathnach) and her friends Daphne (Kari Houston) and Angus (Jack McCallum), “Falling into Place” (directed by Cory McCullough and Katie Jordan) highlights Evelyn’s (Emily Herzog) story in dealing with a voice inside her head that might lead her to a grotesque, high-rise fate.

Welcome Week: A College Anthology celebrates what makes horror such a special space to create and tell stories. Every filmmaker brings their passion to the screen, with rippling effects felt in the performances, the camera work, and each heart-pounding conclusion. With such budgetary constraints, the creative teams don’t let meager resources hold them back from delivering bold, must-see stories. Each morsel is as tasty as the last. You don’t want to miss it.

Welcome Week: A College Anthology recently made its world premiere at Salem Horror Fest. A wide release is TBD. Stay tuned.

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