Halloween Horror Nights 27 - Universal Orlando (Early Review)

Friday September 15th brought about my favorite time of year down here (no, not the end of hurricane season... yet): the start of Universal's Halloween Horror Nights. Like HHN 26 last year, this year sees nine houses, five scare zones and two shows, in addition to a few rides being open. Without much further ado, here's my breakdown of the early showings of the attractions, from least favorite to most favorite. Note: I plan on doing a final review in late October when everything is in its final design state.

Houses

9. Hive

Hive takes place in some midwestern town in the 1980s in some house where a hive? of vampires lives. The first read Friday night was horrendous, no lighting at all. Couldn't see where I was going or who was even popping out at me. Saturday was better in terms of visibility. The storyline still made no sense and the fact that it took place in the 80s had no bearing on the house at all. Even the awning out front was just a wooden box with the logo. Expected better here. I was thinking some sort of Lost Boys mixed with Stranger Things feel. I credit the scare actors for sticking to their roles. Grade: C-

8. Saw

I thought the movies were pretty good. Not scary really, but more like interesting at the intricacies of the puzzles Jigsaw would instill on his victims. It would be like calling Final Destination scary I guess. That said, the house was based on several of the Saw movies. The problem that I have with Saw being a house IP is that it doesn't generate house-like scares. I think it's hard to get scared by watching other people get tortured, but I understand that's just me and that some people will be freaked out by seeing this. I enjoyed the opening sequence here, being asked if we'd 'like to play a game', of course. Grade: B-

7. Blumhouse of Horrors (in order: Sinister, The Purge, Insidious)

After Friday night's run, I was going to put this second to last; however, Saturday night felt like a better house. This issue here is story development. Blumhouse isn't given enough length to develop their three stories they're telling. You get one room of exposition, a scare next room and then you're onto the next movie. I think this would've worked way better as just a Sinister only or Insidious only house. Insidious is the longest part of this maze, with a great finale that's reminiscent of Chance's 3D house last year. I actually think they even used the same set for it. Mr. Boogie from Sinister got me good in the beginning. I don't recall seeing the Insidious Darth Maul demon at all. But old lady makes her presence known. Grade: B

6. Ash vs Evil Dead

This house is just a joy to walk through. One serious scare really got me, but I wouldn't consider this an intense house by any stretch. This has the campy fun feel that Evil Dead is known for, whether it's walking through a bathroom, or rocking out to a great soundtrack or excessive explosive gore. We follow Ash as he rips people to shreds with his chainsaw. By the end, you just want to give him a high five as you exit the house and he's there cutting up a keg talking up Jacksonville, FL. Good house to have a beer in the queue. Grade: B

5. The Fallen

It kills me to put The Fallen this low. Just tells you the quality of the top five this year. The Fallen takes place in an old church (and possibly hell?) as you become entangled in the fight between angels and demons. You can imagine the set from that description. It does not disappoint. Second best set of this year's lineup. The scares are a little more sparse, but the quality of what you witness is incredible. I don't want to spoil too much of what you'll see, but make sure you look up and look out! Grade: B+

4. American Horror Story, Vol. 2 (in order: Asylum, Coven and Roanoke)

Last year's runaway winner for best house is back with a Vol. 2 which encompasses the Asylum, Coven and Roanoke seasons of the series. Again, this is the longest house in the lineup with some great set design and layout for fantastic pop-out scares. I could honestly do without Coven, but the other two seasons were still good enough to blow me away. Although it didn't capture the magic of last year's Murder House, Freak Show and Hotel (remember that room of Twisty's?), it was still strong and unique enough to land in the top four. Where are James Cromwell and Kathy Bates when you need them? Grade: A-

3. Scarecrow: The Reaping

As soon as I came out Scarecrow Friday afternoon, I said this thing is the real deal in terms of scares. This is the most intense house of the year and Twitter seems to agree. You will be terrified in this house. And the most amazing part of it all... there's not an ounce of blood spilled in the house. All just old-fashioned diversion scares. Its aggression reminds me of Tomb of the Ancients last year, but the costume design just makes it way more horrifying. Leading up to the house, you're greeted by tall cornstalks and a skeletal scarecrow. I imagine we'll have real people in those stalks soon enough. This house is also home to one of the best effects. I won't give it away, but it involves crows. Grade: A

2. Dead Waters

I'll be honest when I say that Dead Waters is not about the pop-out scares. Sure, there are a few but the magic is not found there. When you walk into the first scene of Dead Waters, you're completely immersed into the environment of the Louisiana bayou as you enter a sunken steamboat. Off-kilter hallways through the boat really amps up the claustrophobia. After going through some Voodoo homes, you end up in the southern swamplands... which includes a cool effect with the ground you're walking on. It's an incredible experience and may go down in HHN history as the greatest set ever built. Grade: A

1. The Shining

Come play with us. The Grady twins make their inaugural visit to HHN and make the biggest splash of Halloween. I was really worried about this house when it was announced. Last year's The Exorcist really stunk up the joint, and I get a similar feel from The Shining. You'd have this house where it's just corridors of Jacks and then walk through a scene, repeat. This was not the case though. The set design is excellent in this house. Not as great as Dead Waters or The Fallen, but good enough to nail every facet of the film. What it lacks in set design compared to those two, it makes up in scares. Whether it's Jack, the Gradys, the ballroom ghosts, etc. this house has so many good scares it's hard to keep track. And not to mention, effects like snow and the blood elevator. Grade: A+

Lowdown Must-Sees: The Shining (line will get long early but die out at end of night), Dead Waters, Scarecrow, American Horror Story (line will get long early), The Fallen

Scare Zones

5. Altars of Horror

I get the feeling Altars isn't finished. It's essentially a best-of area where people will take selfies with the stars of the houses, Notable characters I saw were the Gradys, Statue of Liberty from Purge Election Year, old lady from Insidious, Jigsaw. Good photo op. Grade: Not Finished

4. Festival of the Deadliest

Feel like this one wasn't finished either, but I think the characters are all present. Deadliest features tall skeletal stiltwalkers in almost a party-like atmosphere. But still scary enough where people are looking to surprise you. Grade: Not Finished

3. Invasion!

Small but colorful scare zone. UFOs crash into San Fran in the 1950s and the army comes to investigate alien lifeforms. The issue that I had with this campy zone is that it wasn't taken seriously at all, even by the alien scare actors. Was mostly aliens walking around taking pictures, while army men are getting bloodied up for no reason. It made very little sense, storytelling-wise. Grade: B

2. The Purge

Didn't we have The Purge in the Blumhouse house? Yes. Yes we did. Now it's also a scare zone. I can't complain much about it though, it was actually way more excellent as a zone than a house. We watch people get rounded up in a moving van and auctioned off. Then of course we're looking to get purged as the night goes on. Thought it was a solid zone, even if it's been done before. Grade: B+

1. Trick 'r Treat

Follow the rules of Halloween, or die. I could honestly just stand in this scare zone all night and it'd be time well spent. This will go down as one of the most beautiful zones ever built. Pumpkins light up the walkway hanging from the trees. Scenes from the movie are acted out in front of you, all the while you're getting hassled by creepy kids in costumes and masks. The amount of characters and scenarios almost kind of makes it its own house. Grade: A+

Bill and Ted

HHN 27 gives us the final year of Bill and Ted and their Halloween adventure. Being new to the whole HHN spectacle, I usually just avoided Bill and Ted. After all, I'm here for the scares not for some stage show. Unfortunately, if this year's show is any indicator, I've been missing out the past 25 years. Bill and Ted is a hilarious take on the year in pop culture (think a stage show like SNL). I'm told the show does change quite a bit from the beginning of HHN to the end, so I'll make sure to take in a few performances.

Favorite moments from Friday's show: recurring fidget, Lady Gaga's leap from the Super Bowl, black Bill and Ted (Get Out! spoof), and Moana (or Moesha or Manana) breaking the fourth wall and describing what she sees, which according to her is typical Miranda lyrics. If you find yourself with short wait times for the houses, I highly suggest seeing this before it's gone for good after this year. And get to the theater (Fear Factor) early because it fills up. Grade: A+

So that's it from the first weekend of Halloween Horror Nights 27. I'm looking forward to some changes in the coming weeks. Hopefully, there will be enough for a whole new blog post. Until then, going to rest my feet for a while!