Streaming Spotlight: The Notorious Finster

“The Notorious Finster” is a fresh take on the slasher genre, offering a thrilling cat-and-mouse chase to unmask a killer’s identity.

Directed by Cooper Henderson and Robert Henderson, who also wrote the movie, The Notorious Finster showcases their uncanny ability to build tension and deliver creative kills.

With a cold opening that holds up alongside the greats, we follow a drunk woman home; to her surprise, she isn’t alone. Boldly, the first kill holds nothing back when it comes to gore, setting the tone for things to come.

A horror film with an opening as effective as this scores big points with me. We are left with a lingering image, inviting us to soak up the true extent of the killer’s disturbing nature.

Here, we meet our protagonist, Annie Sullivan (played by Amanda Evans), a writer who is no stranger to the crimes of the Notorious Finster.

She has written many award-winning books and works closely with the police department to document crimes and help solve the killer’s identity. But when things run dry after a hiatus from our killer, she chooses to move from the city to a more peaceful small town in the hopes of clearing her mind and staying sober.

It was an interesting choice to make Annie an alcoholic as it effectively makes her perspective, through which we view the film’s events, unreliable.

Once she starts spiraling downward after Finster follows her from the city, she drinks to let loose and relax. Her marriage to Roger Sullivan (Britton Webb) hits the rocks, with him threatening to leave her because she constantly hides alcohol bottles and makes late-night trips to the bar. This tension between the two is only heightened when her newfound friend Reyna (Lindsay Corriveau) from Alcoholics Anonymous encourages this behavior, becoming more than a shoulder to lean on.

All the while, a killer is rampaging in this small community.

I have very few negative things to say about The Notorious Finster.  Sometimes, the cat-and-mouse chase becomes tedious, and the red herrings are way too obvious. However, the film’s final fifteen minutes really solidified its place among great slashers.

The twists and turns were unexpected. The audience relishes the thrill of the chase as the film approaches its killer climax. It’s filled with terrific kills, and the filmmakers do not shy away from the disturbing nature of the crimes, pushing the boundaries of horror.

Once all is revealed, we find out the killer’s reasoning behind these atrocities, which only makes them so much worse. The deaths are emotional and investing.

I recommend checking out The Notorious Finster for your next late-night horror binge. I was pleasantly surprised by this flick. I’m shocked it isn’t gaining a lot of buzz, as I can see this becoming a cult classic with a dedicated fanbase.

Expect to be gripped till the very end and on the edge of your seat; this film will take you on a journey without ever feeling its runtime.