| CHAMBERS OF HORROR:Arrival
is welcomed by live music being performed on an elevated stage in a spacious
area that's complimented by The Splatter bar serving adult beverages,
and a convenient gift shop selling souvenir shirts, etc. Prior to
entering the attraction itself, a video presentation explains U.S. Army
Special Forces Project TCO 138. In short, the plan attempts
to take a tragic negative, and turn it into a positive by combating biological
warfare used by terrorists in order to save lives. Invulnerable machines
are being built to serve as super soldiers to annihilate the enemy.
The events about to unfold visit the rigorous testing these defenders must
undergo, and we as potential recruits are invited to tour the facility
before joining the program. Once inside, groups are lined up against
a wall, and subjected to a rather talkative Drill Instructor that
speaks about enhancing our bodies so they're more suitable to the institutions
needs while asserting, "Your eyes tell the story - you have no souls!"
As his initiation continues, a sudden gunshot rings out accompanied by
an unexpected surprise, as he's soon joined by an irate squadron commander
that's none too pleased about the quality of his latest enlistees, and
following a few insults, and a promise that following orders will result
in the fact that he, "Might not have to kill you," exploration begins amid
posted warnings of "Danger," as the course progresses onto an elevator
en route to central processing. Simultaneously, a big brute
having a bayonet-like saw for an arm overpowers our commander in chief,
then boards the old hoist that begins thrashing and vibrating its way to
its intended destination that dumps into a darkened hallway that at first
appears to have no way out! Discovery of a secret escape accesses
a fog-filled area littered with body parts, where the avoidance of sparks
stumbles past a series of numbered doors, then advances through an electrified
hatch (shock skins), and a claustrophobic passage, where a ceiling of severed
human appendages comes crashing down, then exits onto the sight of a victimized
female (prop) urinating blood as a dismembered torso on a zip-line goes
flying by overhead! Continuance through another hidden portal exposes
a wicked laboratory that gives rise to a robot-like attack, and witnesses
a diabolical experiment that finds high voltage being emitted from the
face of a caged monkey, and some poor soul having, "Want some d*ck" scribbled
on his chest in blood that's about to have his penis (prop) chopped off
by a neurotic nurse! A demented, forced c-section childbirth is on
the horizon that climaxes in a puking surprise, and rounding the bend interrupts
the newborn feeding time of an outraged, three-breasted mother that erupts
in a spray of milk! From there, it's onto a torture chamber that
empathizes, "We feel your pain," where a beheading takes place, and an
innocent martyr suffers the fate of having his legs amputated! "Hail
Satan," invites entrance into an unholy abode decorated with pentagrams,
where a wretched demon comes crawling upon the ground, followed by a body
being bisected by an oversized saw! Climbing through a hole in a
brick wall eventually leads through a chain-link fence maze that connects
to a failed attempt to reanimate a lifeless corpse, that's soon followed
by another cadaver dropping down and slamming into a wall from above.
Body bags direct the route through warnings of "Beware" and "Flash Flood
Area," and into the clutches of a gigantic, yellow-eyed monster!
Avoidance into a cave provokes the wrath of a hostile fiend armed with
a barbed wire baseball bat, then egresses through a swamp, and onto the
scene of a ranting General that's upset at the creation of robot
strippers instead of soldiers! An ensuing argument results in an
alarm sounding red alert, and a subsequent multiple chainsaw chase-out
of The Chambers of Horror.
Analysis:
LENGTH - 9, 21 minutes.
ACTORS - 10, Crew is intense, enthusiastic, and very
theatrical from start to finish. Costuming is good, and dialogue
is outstanding. Opening Drill Instructor delivers a remarkable
performance, and sets a perfect mood for the remainder of the experience.
Squadron
Commander likewise does a great job with his dejected demeanor, and
name calling insults, and outraged mother goes absolutely
beserk! Cussing is present throughout, which legitimizes the experience.
Lots of victimizations are present as well, and a few more intimidating
threats directed at recruits themselves would shore things up and
maintain this perfect score. Total Characters = 27.
SCARINESS - 9, The story is well played out, but not
quite threatening enough in nature to develop overwhelming scares.
Most of the actual violence is directed towards other cast members, so
it never quite reaches the point of inducing fear among patrons.
This could easily be remedied by actually strapping customers down to chairs,
placing them on tables, etc. to create the illusion that they might be
next. The opportunity for these interactive scares exists within
this type of presentation, and should be capitalized upon.
DESIGN - 9½, This is a very unique experience.
Duration is above average, and a complimentary soundtrack exists throughout.
No other haunt pushes the envelope further than Chambers of Horror.
Many scenes are horrific in nature, and not seen elsewhere. Vulgarity
and sexuality are exploited, but not abused to the point that they become
offensive.
Continuing to expand upon what they've already accomplished
by striving to invent even more visually impressive defilements would push
them over the top. The attraction's reputation precedes itself, which
in turn leads to customers anticipating and expecting a lot, thus the pressure
is on to deliver.
PROPS - 9, Adequate static props decorate the various
scenes complimented by shock skins, claustrophobic air bags, "firecrackers,"
and an actortronic monster. Body suits and even a fake phallus also
have a presence, and spraying/dripping surprises originate from the most
unlikely places! Additional high-impact, mechanical and/or animated
scares are needed to reach the next level.
VALUE - 9, $17 is a competitive rate to expect by today's
standards, but that jumps to $22 the week before Halloween. VIP admission
is a bit steep at $45 as well, but includes a t-shirt and a free drink
at The Splatter Bar. When considering the cost, keep in mind
that this is no ordinary haunted house. The quality of acting ranks
well above average, and the sights to be seen simply don't exist elsewhere.
RATING: 9+, This is a "one of a kind"
experience that's like no other. They're dubbed, "The world's most
shocking attraction" for a reason. If you're tired of the same old
haunted houses, look no further than the adult oriented Chambers of
Horror. |
