WFG RATING: B+

Breaking Glass Pictures presents an Impulse-FX production. Produced and directed by Dan Lantz. Written by Kristina Chadwick and Robert Lange. Cinematography by Mike Hennelly and Tom McCoy. Edited by Evan Wessman.

Stars Bill Moseley, Kane Hodder, Graham Wolfe, Cedric Casimiro, Shelby Hightower, Chris James Boylan, Allyson Malandra, Brooke Stacy Mills, Melanie Martyn, Denise Parella, Jared Delaney, and Aaron Della Villa. 

Two of horror’s greats are together as rivals in this pretty good revenge flick that has some great moments and comic relief at times.

Since running his family’s farm, Famer Sam has held an annual haunted hayride event to attract the locals of Willis County. However, there are those who can’t stand Farmer Sam, feeling that he has a sense of entitlement just because his family’s farm has been around for over two centuries. The detractors include current Mayor Betty and her two right hands; a couple on the local board; and Sheriff Jubel, who’s had it in for Sam since they were kids. 

When Sam attempts to stop a gang of vandals led by Jubel’s son, he is tased by the sheriff to the point where he ends up having a mild seizure. When the mayor leads the group to foreclose on the farm, Farmer Sam makes them an offer. He asks for three days and he will give them a hayride they will never forget. If they like it, he gets to stay but if they don’t, he promises to give the town the farm. The group agrees to give Sam the three days and on the night of the event, they soon will release that this is going to a be as Sam calls the event, a Hayride to Hell. 

This revenge horror film is quite interesting because in most cases, people will root for at least one victim to evade the killer. However, in this case, you will want to root for the protagonist, Farmer Sam, as he must deal with greedy townsfolk, corrupt government officials, and a crooked sheriff and his racist deputy. It is a classic case of greed against the blue collar worker, but in horror fashion. 

Who would be the perfect casting for Farmer Sam, who just wants to keep his love going despite the opposition? Well, it comes in the form of Bill Moseley, best known for his two iconic roles of Chop-Top Sawyer in The Texas Chainsaw Massacre 2 and Otis in Rob Zombie’s Firefly Trilogy. Here, Moseley is excellent bringing his brand of blue collar humor mixed with beats of showing why he is one of the best in the biz when it comes to horror. Sam clearly has an agenda with dealing with so much and finds his way to ensure that he and those loyal to him remain safe and sound while unleashing terror to those who get in his way while doing it in a subtle manner. 

The other horror icon in the film is Kane Hodder, who will be forever known as the actor who personified Jason Voorhees in four installments of the Friday the 13th franchise. Hodder here plays the dirty Sheriff Jubel. He is a master manipulator, ensuring that Sam gets what he deserves by sending his son Truckee, played by The Wrath of Becky’s Aaron Dalla Villa, and his buddies to vandalize the farm every night. The final nail in the coffin is when Jubel tases Sam to the point where he has a seizure and tells Sam’s niece, a local EMT, he just suffered a seizure in an attempt to cover his own tail. 

The Hayride to Hell is quite fun to watch as by the time the event arrives, you have been waiting for it to come. This is where the film is great especially. The methods Sam uses to exact revenge on this haunted hayride is wild as the victims not only are riding in the back but those involved in the events are exactly who deserve it. The methods used to dispatch those responsible are fun to watch. Some notable deaths include a victim getting impaled by an industrial farming drill, a witch hunt style death, a classic arrow to the face, and many others. It is here Moseley truly brings his A-game meshing his brand of terror and humor. Chop-Top would be proud of Farmer Sam here.

Hayride to Hell has a great buildup to vengeance with Bill Moseley leading the way as the one you will want to root for while you are hoping Kane Hodder and the greedy ones get theirs. Definitely one for the horror crowd!