| SOUTHSIDE MASSACRE:
A short outdoor maze, terrorized by a irate brute, an overhead surprise,
and a brief cemetery adventure where an enraged gravedigger physically
attempts to bury each group member alive combine to set the stage for the
Southside
Massacre experience in advance of the queue line. The true exploration
begins with immediate group separation where boys and girls go their own
way, but the detachment is short lived, and everyone is reunited at the
entrance to a surprise containing claustrophobic passage that spits you
out into an alarming area where reds lights flash, and sirens wail from
an unseen ambulance bringing about a Halloween themed encounter
with none other than Michael Myers! Eluding The Boogeyman,
the course progresses into the clutches of a panic stricken woman that
hurriedly ushers you along into an elevator-like entrapment where the floor
suddenly gives way a few times before a hidden door opens up and a discontented
goon orders us out into grabbing, pounding, and intense restraint, in a
living room scene that witnesses a frenzied bruiser, crawling across the
floor latching onto anyone within his reach! Our narrow escape leads
through a bloody, body part littered kitchen, past the burnt remnants of
a piano, and another ghoulish attack that emanates from behind a secret
panel! Up next is a trek through a foul smelling, feces covered bathroom
that hides a hysterically screaming girl, then into a dirty laundry room
where another frantic girl cries that her "legs are broken," and desperately
pleads "Help me! Don't leave me!" Insanity dispenses us down
a flight of stairs, into a dark maze where horns sound loudly, air cannons
blast, and a spinning vortex accompany relentless tormentors- reaching,
touching, grabbing, holding on, and interfering with your every move.
"Where they at?" rings out of the lightlessness as we make our way through
a toxic inhabited area where hazardous fluids leak everywhere, and we're
stalked by gas mask wearing fiends! Crawling our way to "safety"
exposes more blood curdling screams originating from a gory butcher shop
of body parts, where walls are splattered with blood, and a deranged rebel
attacks with a circular power saw! Fleeing for our lives sends us
through a foggy, strobe lit corridor that dumps us into a clown-filled
nightmare, that exits through a hidden door into a merciless chainsaw chase-out
of Southside Massacre!
Analysis:
LENGTH - 7½, 13½ minutes.
ACTORS - 10, Practically the entire cast does an outstanding
job! They're intense, aggressive, and in your face from start to
finish! Physical confrontations are everywhere, and often accompanied
by intimidating dialogue, or convincing pleas for help! They order
you around creating an environment of sheer chaos. Preliminary
Trail
brute and gravedigger foreshadow the threatening demeanor of
the remainder of the cast. Total Characters = 21).
SCARINESS - 9½, Mostly due to the overzealous
cast grabbing and touching until their prey is helpless. Soundtrack
is overshadowed by their intimidating aggressiveness.
DESIGN - 9, A very intense atmosphere is created from
start to finish! Course cleverly offers entrapments and hidden escapes
in order to prolong the experience, but it's still a bit on the short side
from an endurance perspective. Lengthening the adventure would raise
the score.
PROPS - 7½, Adequate decor with toxic "fountains"
being most memorable, but nothing all that impressive prop-wise.
A few mechanical surprises exist as well, but need more eye catching surprises
to score better. Floor giving way is simply unforgettable!
The actors are the stars of this show.
VALUE - 8, $18 is a bit on the high side considering
the length, and reflects a $3 increase since we last visited in 2009.
Take advantage of their website coupon whenever possible. The attraction
is unique to the area with its aggressiveness, and a reduced price would
enable them to better compete with multi-venue shows that tend to better
attract the public's attention, even though the competition really isn't
delivering better scares.
RATING: 9, A more affordable price, a lengthier
course, and more impressive props would really make a strong statement
for this attraction! Southside Massacre is the most intense
haunt in Indianapolis! Their frenzied cast insures a memorable seasonal
experience. Pay them a visit if you dare, and find out for
yourselves. |
