This is the second film by writer/director Mickey Keating I’ve watched this summer. After watching Darling, which I liked very much (review pending), I had high hopes for this one. Where Darling was a tribute to the psychological horror films of the Sixties (think Hitchcock and Polanski, especially Repulsion), Carnage Park is meant to be an homage to the grindhouse survivor-horror films of the Seventies (think The Hills Have Eyes and Punishment Park, both of which have heavy influences here). Or it might be more nearly correct to say it’s meant to be an homage to Quentin Tarantino because unfortunately, the film comes across as less tribute and more rip-off. (And yes, I know one could make the argument that QT himself ripped off 70s’ grindhouse.) One of the opening scenes is straight out of Reservoir Dogs, for chrissakes, with two bank robbers—one badly wounded—fleeing a job gone wrong. We jump around in time a little bit to get some (minimal) backstory, too, in Reservoir fashion. Add some slow motion walking to some old pop tunes, and it was just too close for me, and took me out of the story right from the start.

The story takes a hard turn about a quarter of the way in and becomes something completely different, however. As the robbers flee with a hostage (Vivian, played by Ashley Bell) in their trunk, they run smack dab into psychotic Vietnam vet Wyatt Moss (Pat Healy) who has turned the surrounding area into his own personal torture theme park, complete with a PA system and the occasional bear trap. At this point the film settles in, and Ms. Bell proves to be a resourceful “final girl” as she tries to escape from Moss’s clutches. Unfortunately, as good as that part was, it only made me realize how extraneous the opening was.

Keating gets all the technical details right, just as he did with Darling. Here, he’s got the bare bones story and washed-out color palette so prevalent in the films he’s aping. But after having seen his love letters to horror from two decades, I’ve got to wonder if he’s nothing more than an imitator. A good one, no doubt, but not so good that he puts his own stamp on it, which is where—I believe—Tarantino succeeded. Ultimately, I felt a little like I do watching Frank Gorshin or Rich Little (impressionists, for those youngsters reading this) do their acts: it’s kind of interesting, but only because of the familiarity with the original. Eventually, though, Keating will run out of material to crib from, and have to stand on his own. I do think he’s talented enough to do so, should he come up with some semi-original material to work with.

The performances are good, and include veteran Alan Ruck as Sheriff Moss: brother to Wyatt, but tired of turning a blind eye to his “hobby.” And speaking of eyes, don’t blink, or you’ll miss a cameo by actor/director Larry Fessenden (Wendigo, You’re Next), who also did one in Darling. I also thought that the score was, for the most part, good, and the Vietnamese 60s pop songs playing in the background from time to time contributed a nice sense of creepiness. However, in the end, it’s hard to recommend this one. The components themselves are good, but they just don’t gel, and end up leaving the film seeming a little bland. Perhaps Keating needs to slow down a little; he’s made six films in six years, which is a hell of a pace. IMDB gives it a 5.2. I’m giving it a ∂4.0 (“partial derivative” 4.0. Get it?). If you’re looking for this type of film, there are better choices out there. Maybe even watch one of the originals this one is looking to recreate. (running time 1:30)