| NIGHTMARE AT THE MALL:
An
irate Butler waits at the entrance to
Nightmare at the Mall, and following
some intimidating shouting, permits you pass through a cemetery, and step
inside. Almost immediately, ghouls begin descending upon you from
anywhere and everywhere, blocking the path ahead, following from behind,
and directing you into several unnerving entrapments. A spooky
looking casket rises upright on its own, and a tall, headless man approaches
out of the darkness. Frightening music, screams and fog fill the
air as you become trapped in the first confinement. Lights begin
flashing, and accompanying sounds become more assaulting as The Ring Girl
rises out of water, and slowly making her way towards you! Just in
the nick of time, a previously shut escape route is revealed, and you narrowly
elude her wrath, but the path ahead proves to be just as dangerous.
Darkness prevails, while blood or some other fluid sprays down from above,
and more Mall monsters corner you in an apparent dead end.
For the second straight time, freedom is found right at the last minute,
but leads into progressively worse terror, this time taking the form of
body bags and the maniacal chainsaw revving Leatherface! A
sudden distraction allows us to barely make it past with our limbs still
intact, but leads into another blocked off area, where a panic-stricken
girl warns that we’re all about to be killed! The Halloween
theme begins playing, and Michael Myers appears and begins slowly
walking toward our desperate situation, his murderous knife raised high
in the air! Once again, a secret passage is discovered, but the situation
gets even worse, with the appearance of the SAW Puppet, intent on
playing his game that allows just 30 seconds to uncover a way out before
some deadly gas is released inside the chamber. Visibility becomes
reduced as the poisonous vapor is released into the room! Will you
be one of the lucky ones to escape, or will you be lost forever inside
Nightmare
at the Mall??!!
Analysis:
LENGTH - 6½, 11 minutes, but fantastic while it
lasts!
ACTORS - 9, Numerous frightening, dialogue filled confrontations
with full-size actors. The characters have plenty to say! Along
with assistance from the scary environment, and numerous entrapments, the
crew totally destroys one’s emotional stability!
SCARINESS - 9, A very legitimately frightening experience.
Sounds and lighting created a fabulous mood that changes pace with the
nature of the assaults they accompany. Most monsters are aggressively
intimidating, and readily recognizable as some of the most horrific killers
of all time. Various entrapments culminate with a sense of desperation,
resulting in progressively worse fears.
DESIGN - 9, Butler beginning is quite well done, and
initiates the distress that gets increasingly worse throughout, building
up to a believable, most terrifying climax! Multiple unique confinements
are fantastic, and each is created with a different method of escape.
Complimenting the above with a few more surprises, perhaps from a few animatronics,
would make the experience even better. Giving Michael his
own authentic structure would raise the scene's intensity even more.
A legitimate, stand alone building, as opposed to the mall location would
also do wonders for the haunt as a whole, but having a unique outdoor entrance
makes the most of the present situation. Extending the experience
time wise would also be a plus.
PROPS - 7½, Adequate, scary décor, but
nothing overwhelmingly impressive, and few animated diversions. Lots
of advancement opportunities for upcoming seasons.
VALUE - 8½, $10, and limited only by its short
duration.
RATING: 8½, Quite an impressive effort
from a first year haunt. Thus far, Nightmare at the Mall is
the best new attraction of the season! If Death Trap Entertainment
plans to be a permanent part of the Cincinnati haunt scene, it might’ve
be wiser to discount admission over the course of their debut performance,
in order to attract more attention to themselves, and in turn a larger
following. Located right next to Biggs at
Cincinnati Mills
Mall, The House of Haints has some great seasonal scares waiting
for you inside Nightmare at the Mall! |
