Where to get started? The plot centers around 6 miners being trapped in a mine cave-in. 5 of those perished, with the exception of one, Harry Warden. He kills off his co-workers so he can breathe, and the owner's son, Tom, was blamed for the whole debacle. Surely it can't get any worse than that, can it?
It can!
A year later, Warden awakens from his coma and goes on a murderous rampage and cuts out the hearts of all his victims, leaving them inside a Valentine's candy box. I like this for the simple fact it's a calling card, saying "i was here, i'm coming for you next." It's subtle, i enjoyed that part. A group of kids go to party inside the mine, where Warden is hiding, killing them off one by one. Tom, his girlfriend Sarah, Axel and his girlfriend Irene all survive, barely. 10 years pass and Axel is the town sheriff, and his wife? Sarah. Welp.
Tom has inherited the mine from his father due to his father's untimely passing, and has returned to the town after a multi year hiatus. Axel is cheating on Sarah with some bitch name Megan and Megan reveals to him in his father's old home that she's pregnant. Whoops. This is what happens when you don't wrap before you tap, Axel. Irene is now a slut who is taken for one by the trucker she's sleeping with when she chases him outside only to see Warden kill the trucker and then chase her into the hotel room before taking her out as well. I just wanna say that the death scenes in this movie are brutal and i'm liking it so far.
Tom is accused of being the killer at every turn, because he just so happens to show up every time there's a murder. Irene, the miner in the mine. He's accused by that said miner in a bar, as well as the retired sheriff of Harry's return. That's kinda [frick]ed up if you think about it. Anyway. Tom meets up with Sarah finally to get all caught up, Axel is pissed when he finds out about it,
Ben is killed off in his home. Retired Sheriff Burke is killed off in his home. The whore Megan is killed off behind the grocery store with "Be Mine 4 Ever" written in her blood. Tom picks up Sarah for safety when Axel calls and tells her that Tom has been in a mental institution for the past 7 years.
Welp.
Sarah causes Tom to crash his car where she flees for her life. They all meet up at the mine where it's revealed that Tom has been the killer all along, living with the memory of the dead Harry Warden inside him. How do we know this? There's a montage of him killing everyone, then playing it off like he was the victim THE ENTIRE TIME. That's a swerve and a half. Tom is taken out as Axel and Sarah were rescued by another miner team. Tom on the other hand? Kills one of the rescue team, then dresses up in his suit, escaping the mine. This right here sets up a sequel, but whether or not they take advantage of it, we'll never know.
All in all, i enjoyed this film for the first time seeing it. The death scenes were intense, and the story made you think with that swerve ending out of nowhere. I give this movie 10 skulls out of 10.