A lot more "101" than actual serial killing in this much too jokey, talky and lame horror/satire.

High school student and Marilyn Manson fan Casey Noland has aspirations of being a serial killer (of course, all Marilyn Manson fans have aspirations of being serial killers, silly!) to impress fellow misfit classmate Sasha Fitzgerald (played by pop singer Lisa Loeb who really does still look like a high school student!) after he sees her wearing a Charles Manson shirt - and because "serial killers get all the hot girls". Sasha agrees to help Casey research the role on the condition that she can be his first victim so she can become "famous". Meanwhile there really is a serial killer on the loose killing fellow high school students and Casey can't decide if he's actually up to the role or should just use his new found knowledge to help track down the real life killer.

Could it be the ex-marine, cartoonishly mean gym teacher with a testicle fixation (played convincingly by character actor Thomas Hayden Church)? How about the mentally challenged custodian who seems to like young girls a little too much?

Tired and unfunny offering relies way to much on stereotypes and a lousy script that tries to be hip but completely falls flat. Continuity seems to be an after thought and anti-hero Casey never once comes across as being remotely likeable. I actually found myself laughing at how at incredibly stupid this was more often than at the homophobic, toilet humor. The hardware store scene where Casey loads up on his serial killing gear is midly amusing but lasts 2 minutes at the most. If you look at the running time, that's not exactly what I'd call an even ratio.

Lions Gate usually does a great job of catering to horror fans but I think I'd rather take my chances on the school cafeteria menu than taking another bite out of this shit sandwich. More groans than you can stab a knife at and an easy candidate for worst of 2004. (Derek Carlson)

Directed By: Trace Slobotkin.
Written By: Dave Gist, Trace Slobotkin.

Starring: Justin Urich, Lisa Loeb, Thomas Haden Church, Rick Overton.

aka: Serial Killing 4 Dummys.