A wrap party for a new horror film becomes the location of a nightmare in the first production of new company Neon Noir.

Director Mason Maestro has just completed his new horror film, “That’s a Wrap”. To celebrate the event, he invites his wife Lily, along with cast members Harper, Amber, Wyatt, Jamie, Lana, Stoney, Troy, and Carter. When Mason introduces the teaser trailer to the film, a prank where he is attacked by the film’s killer Mistress leads to the producer hating on the film and leaving. Mason hides his anger by pretending to enjoy the party. However, things are about to go wrong.

Someone has dressed up as Mistress, crashing the party. One by one, the actors begin to be killed in ways similar to their deaths on screen. As the body count rises, tensions between the actors and the filmmakers begin to be realized. Soon enough, “Mistress” continues to viciously murder the actors but who exactly is responsible for the killings?

Director Marcel Walz, writer and producer Joe Knetter, and actor/producer Sarah French (also Knetter’s wife) formed a production company after collaborating in the horror genre. This film is the first film under their new label, Neon Noir, and it is a grand debut of the company. Using a “meta” style approach to things, the story of a group of actors and filmmakers of a horror movie being killed at a wrap party for the titular title brings loads of tropes as well as mesh the elegance of Hollywood moviemaking with the over-the-top chaos of the genre.

The cast in this is great with an opening sequence involving genre veteran and former Power Ranger Cerina Vincent as Alexis, who meets a Drew Barrymore-style Scream opening but not before she talks with her manager, played by a cameo performance by legendary special effects wizard Tom Savini. The film has Neon Noir co-founder Sarah French as Harper, who serves as Mason’s final girl with Monique T. Parent bringing elegance and class to her role of Mason’s wife Lily, who has not forgotten her past as one of the greats. Robert Donavan is great as Mason himself, who is excited about his new film despite getting a lashing from the producer, played in a cameo by Frederic von Anhalt, the husband of the late Zsa Zsa Gabor.

However, let’s face it. The reason to see a slasher film is the kills. And co-writer Knetter has done something extremely well with how to approach the deaths. Knowing that director Walz is a fan of the Italian giallo film, which relies on the extreme, Knetter doesn’t hold back on making the kills a bit over-the-top. One kill scene has its way to be the best kill of 2023. Last year, we had the now iconic bedroom kill of Terrifier 2. This year, this may be the film to have the best kill of 2023. Not just the best kill, but perhaps the funniest as well. No spoilers on this kill. You have to see it for yourself not to mention the final fifteen minutes, which prove to be quite outstanding in its execution.

That’s a Wrap deserves some major praise as it is a standout debut for the newly formed Neon Noir. Marcel Walz’s direction and love of the giallo is prevalent here and the cast is great in this one, notably Monique T. Parent and Sarah French. Some great cameos also help as well. Definitely a new gem for horror fans.

WFG RATING: A+

Quiver Entertainment presents a Neon Noir production. Director: Marcel Walz. Producers: Joe Knetter, Sarah French, and Marcel Walz. Writers: Joe Knetter and Robert L. Lucas. Cinematography: Marcus Friedlander. Editing: Kai E. Bogatski.

Cast: Cerina Vincent, Monique T. Parent, Sarah French, Gigi Gustin, Robert Donavan, Dave Sheridan, Sarah Polednak, Eve Marlowe, Steve J. Owens, Brandon Patricio, Ben Kaplan, Adam Bucci, Frederic von Anhalt, Tom Savini.

The film comes to Digital and premieres on the big screen at Frightfest UK on August 25.