There's Nothing Out There (1992)

Pretty recently I got my hands on this cool 2-disc 20th anniversary edition of the Troma release for ''There's Nothing Out There''. Not only paying homage but also mocking different (cliché) elements in old horror and sci-fi movies, it also proclaims to have invented the self-referential horror flick. It sure has a lot going for it, but is it any good?

It's the well-known ''couples-in-the-woods''-plot, where they discover they're not really alone. Thankfully it has plenty of refreshing ideas to keep it alive and suprisingly fun. For example, one of the guys is addicted to horror (and sci-fi) films. He constantly reminds the group of how ''horrormoviecliché'' this trip actually feels like. Though, nobody tends to take him serious as he comes of as utterly insane and he's just a non-stop cynical prick.

The monste looks cool. Director Rolfe Kanefsky said he had a crossover between a frog and an alligator in mind, and it shows in the result. Most definitely a fun (and original) idea and the campy special effects make it possible to show it off quite a lot, adding to the hilarity. It's never intended as a serious flick nor does it go far over-the-top. It keeps a nice balance, making sure the writing is always spot-on without leaving the camp-values (nudity and such) behind.

The extra's on the dvd show all of the fun they had on set. But the most important thing is that it shows on the actual film. The special features on the dvd are truly worth checking out. It started off with a great introduction by Lloyd Kaufman, setting the right tone for the film to come. But also lots of commentaries by Rolfe Kanefsky himself on almost everything, such as the production stills, cast auditions, behind the scene stuff... it's just a small chunk of the awesomeness.

The storyline unfolds pretty neately, referring to lots of classic filmrules while also mocking itself. When someone goes all ''Capt. Obvious'' on the situation, he/she will be told on the spot. I really appreciate the lack of seriousness in this fun 90's project, it's one of those rare exceptions which actualy lives up to some of the 80's horror. I'd highly recommend this particular release to everyone who's a Troma fan or to whoever's looking for some cool semi-original camp.

Score: 88/100