Sisterhood Gets Scary in Tongue-in-Cheek Thriller

Mal Vincent - Virginia Pilot

Any movie that promises to be a mixture of "Mean Girls" and "The House Bunny," mixed with a dose of "Halloween," has promise.

"Sorority Row" has some humorous, tongue-in-cheek stuff on its side.

For example, when Carrie Fisher, formerly Princess Leia of "Star Wars," faces a serial killer who throws a tire iron at her, she screams, "Don't think I'm afraid of you. I run a house with 50 crazy ..." (uh, you get the idea). Where is Obi-Wan Kenobi when she really needs him?

The girls of Theta Pi sorority are in a dither when a prank goes wrong and they cause the death of a sister. Suddenly, secrecy and solidarity skip ahead of trust and honor in their pledge of sisterhood.

Flash-forward a year and the nightmare begins. A mysterious killer targets the guilty five, one by one.

Along the way, there are lines that, one hopes, are meant to be campy.

Contemplating the body: "She's dead. She couldn't be more dead."

Reaction: "Let's go wash the blood off in the lake and get back to the party."

Rumer Willis is the reclusive, smart one - who eventually cuts loose with a shotgun. It's an abrupt character switch, but it gives the daughter of Bruce Willis and Demi Moore a chance to take off those pesky glasses.

Mickey, a randy boyfriend, is played by Virginia Beach-raised Maxx Hennard, who formed the rock band Dreams Lost locally as its lead singer, guitarist and songwriter. He got into acting after a part in the independent film "Dead Men" and has a small role in "Dear John," directed by Lasse Hallstrom and filmed in Charleston, S.C.

This movie is fun if you can take it as a spoof. If you try to take it seriously, you've got a real nightmare on your hands.

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