Behind the Mask: The Rise of Leslie Vernon (2006): C

Peddling deconstruction of a cute, unenlightening sort, Scott Glosserman’s mockumentary Behind the Mask: The Rise of Leslie Vernon follows budding broadcast journalist Taylor (Angela Goethals) as she and two cameramen shoot a documentary on the titular lunatic (Nathan Baesel), who’s preparing to follow in the footsteps of legends Jason Voorhees, Michael Myers and Freddy Krueger with his first foray into serial killing. Wielding an aesthetic that clunkily alternates between verité and filmic, the director proves that he’s diligently studied his genre tropes, as the cocky Vernon spends most of his time explaining the methodology and symbolism of his chosen “profession.” The notion that famous bogeymen do intense pre-planning for their killing sprees is sorta-kinda amusing. Yet it’s the film’s only real joke, and plays out like one long elbow in the ribs to audience members familiar with slasher movie standards. Not to mention that other than displaying a textbook awareness of its ancestors, Behind the Mask offers next to nothing, choosing not to examine or subvert horror conventions but merely recite them checklist-style, all while setting up a third-act twist that no one watching the film – namely, those weaned on Halloween, Friday the 13th, and their gory progeny – will find the least bit surprising.