“Die’ced: Reloaded” starts its limited theatrical run on Friday, ahead of the film’s VOD release on August 12, when it will be available to rent or own.
The film, written and directed by Jeremy Rudd, was first released in 2023 as a short film that follows Benny, an infamous serial killer who escapes an asylum on Halloween night, turning 1980s Seattle into a blood-soaked nightmare while dressed as a scarecrow. At the heart of his killing spree is a young woman unknowingly tied to his past, and he leaves a trail of carnage across the suburbs to get to her. The film stars Eden Campbell (“Fear Street: Part Two – 1978”), Jason Brooks (“The Death of Snow White”), and Nigel Vona (“The Chronicles of Riddick”).
“Die’ced: Reloaded” bookends the original film with new scenes that deepen the backstory of Benny’s escape and his connection to the young girl he ultimately becomes fixated on. Other scenes are also interspersed to connect the narrative threads.
If you saw the original “Die’ced,” the ‘Reloaded’ release from DREAD also smooths over some of the original film’s flaws, particularly related to some of the abrupt cuts and rough edits felt the first time around.
“Die’ced: Reloaded” also improves on the film’s soundtrack. That’s not to say the synth work by Night Wolf has gone anywhere; instead, the film makes better use of the songs, finding a balance where previously the music could sometimes distract from what was playing out on screen.
The release also gives the film a fresh set of gore, both in the form of a brutal and violent new opening sequence and in the form of digitized blood spatter to enhance some of the original kills.
Despite the updates to the film, “Die’ced” will still draw comparisons to both “Terrifier” and “Halloween”, and unfortunately, those parallels are likely to turn some viewers off. If you disliked the film the first time for these reasons, the roughly 20 minutes of added exposition added in the ‘Reloaded’ version likely aren’t going to change your mind.
For those of you who, like me, hoped for more from the original and had planned to give the film another chance at some point, this would be a great way to see it, as it offers Benny a bit more substance. I can’t promise your perspective of the film will change drastically afterward, but at least you’ll know you gave Benny a fair shot.
Perhaps the most frustrating thing about any version of this film is that I like Benny. I like the look of Benny. He has a classic scarecrow look, but is creepy as hell, and best of all, he’s not wearing a burlap sack, which allows the character to be more expressive. I also like the concept of Benny, a maniac born of the wrongdoings of his step-parents. Jason Brooks’ performance as Benny is probably one of the highlights of the film, and I feel like, given the right opportunity, he could be a modern horror icon right there alongside David Howard Thornton and Art the Clown. Unfortunately, it’s going to be tough to do that with a film like this, even with the added scenes and a fresh coat of gore.
That said, if you’ve never seen “Die’ced” and are intrigued by the idea of this scarecrow slasher, this is the definitive version of “Die’ced” to watch. It looks and sounds better than the original short film, and adds elements to the plot that enhance Benny’s backstory.
