Sorority Row

Although this film is a remake of the 1983 film “A House on Sorority Row,” it bears an unsuccessful resemblance to 1997’s “I Know What You Did Last Summer.” After a prank turns into the accidental murder of a sorority sister, the rest of the sisters decide to hide her body and swear themselves to secrecy. Against the deception is Cassidy (Briana Evigan) who insists that they call the police and own up to their mistake. The others force her into secrecy by planting her jacket on the dead body and warning that they’d falsely accuse her of the murder.

Eight months later, Cassidy is alienated from her sorority, and the sisters carry the burden of their secret in different ways. Approaching the last days of college, the sorority throws one final party where the women who were involved in the accidental murder begin to be killed off one by one by a black-hooded murderer and his tire iron.

It’s very doubtful this movie was created to be taken seriously. Either way, it isn’t a pleasant viewing. It has a weak plot, annoying characters, and corny dialogue. While Evigan and Rumer Willis are given decent characters, the rest of the sorority sisters are two-dimensional stereotypes. Their pettiness, even during the killings, is hardly feasible, adding a cheap, campy quality to the film. Perhaps the film’s main reason for existence was to show gory violence along with nudity.

Objectionable Content

The movie’s appropriately rated “R.” All the murders are bloody and gruesome; there are several deaths by impalement and stabbings. The cursing is also heavy, with numerous uses of the “f” word and the Lord’s name in vain. “Sorority Row” is also filled with nudity, partying, and drinking.

While the film’s full of debauchery, it does accurately reflect how people will reap what they sow. The sisters’ relationships are shallow and condescending, and only hurt is reaped from such evil company. When one of the sorority sisters is upset, her boyfriend keeps making advances, despite her sadness. Much to her dismay, he brushes her off and pursues other girls. Since their entire relationship’s almost sexually based, it reaps a foreseen ending when she refuses his advances.

While the movie’s certainly an exaggeration of a prank gone wrong, it does hold a certain amount of truth. Pranks require a deception that is almost never returned with appreciation. King Solomon wrote in Proverbs 26:18-19:

“Like a madman shooting firebrand or deadly arrows is a man who deceives his neighbor and says ‘I was only joking!’”

Christians can become shining examples for Christ by seasoning our speech with aptly spoken words and with wholesomeness. As for the movie, it’s definitely one Christians should avoid. Fortunately, it isn’t well made, so hopefully it shouldn’t render itself a temptation. Suspenseful movies can be fun when the suspense actually arises from a strong plot and not from gore and nudity.

Violence: Extreme / Profanity: Heavy / Sex/Nudity: Extreme

See list of Relevant Issues—questions-and-answers.