Asylum, Lunatic Hospital Becomes College Dorm

Ever been to a college dorm? Ever been to an asylum for the insane?  Same thing.  Sure, the looney bin may have a bit more maturity and hope for the inmates.  Today's college dorms are filled with the dregs of mankind who may escape one day and screw up this world even more. So why not merge these two in a gory and effective horror film?  Today we look at 2008's "Asylum," directed by David R. Ellis.

Six hunks and babes meet on the first day of college at their dorm. Madison (Sarah Roemer) is a babe who has issues. Her brother and dad committed suicide after claiming to hear voices. She has an instant attraction to hunk Holt (Jake Muxworthy). We find out this dashing young man is a recovering drug addict with a horrible secret in his past. Maya (Carolina Garcia) is fresh off a very abusive relationship. Ivy (Ellen Hollman) is a cutter with a ghastly past. Tommy (Travis Van Winkle) is a body builder with mommy issues. Then String (Cody Kasch), a 16-year-old computer genius. Uh oh, String finds out the dorm used to be a mental asylum for tortured teens. Back in 1935, the evil Dr. Burke (Mark Rolston) used to lobotomize the kids by sliding spikes through their eyes and into their brain.  Guess what!  Burke is back.  Back in 1935, the teen patients rebelled and murdered the doctor...but he did not stay dead.

Now Burke hunts these six freshmen one by one. He traps them in an abandoned wing of the asylum and reveals their greatest fears to them.  Out of those fears, Burke kills them in grisly fashion. The great looking freshman, in many cases, won't stay great looking.  Their unaddressed fears become their greatest enemy as Burke exploits them. The methods of killing are quite gory, and we really do pull for these six, as they are all great looking.  Now each of the students must face their fears...and battle them.

Is this film a good metaphor for what the American university system has become and what it does to the young men and women of this country?  Is Burke correct in that most college kids should be lobotomized?  Will any of the hunks and babes survive until the end credits?  This is a gory one with no humor or wit.  If you like your horror horrific with no relief, see "Asylum," perhaps not the feel good film of 2008.