John’s Horror Corner: X-Ray (1981; aka, Hospital Massacre), another 80s slasher that doesn’t live up to its hype.

MY CALL: Just another 80s slasher that doesn’t live up to its hype. Not enough happens. And when it does happen, it’s just not enough. Still, I didn’t regret it. Recommended only for 80s slasher completists. MORE MOVIES LIKE X-Ray: I feel that Halloween II (1981) provides a better hospital horror vibe.

As a child, a lunatic murders his crush’s brother. Twenty years later, he (Charles Lucia; Society, Syngenor) sees Susan (Barbi Benton; Deathstalker)stroll into the hospital where he works and, of course, recognizes her immediately. Intent to finish the job he started decades ago, he swaps her perfectly normal X-rays for those of a terminal patient so that she will be held for further testing and observation overnight.

After diagnosing Susan, the staff of this hospital seem quite comfortable going to highly inappropriate extremes to keep Susan there against her will for treatment. They coerce her, claim she’s having a seizure when she struggles, restrain her… it’s pretty far-fetched. You’d think they were all in on trying to kill her were it not for the killer murdering anyone who gets to close too her.

The slashery of this film lands at mediocre. Even when the stabs don’t stick on screen, the blood spurts and tone remain somewhat effective. There’s a “face dunk in acid” death scene that’s okay. Then more stabbery and a choking death that just miss the mark entirely. The axe to the head is probably the only truly worthy death scene, and even that isn’t exactly impressive by any 80s standards. The execution is almost missing something, and often missing a lot.

All told, this is just another 80s slasher that doesn’t live up to its hype. Not enough happens. And when it does happen, it’s not intense or bloody or graphic or theatric enough to be worth our time. I wouldn’t recommend this, nor would I warn anyone away from it. I think this is best suited for 80s slasher completists.