Stuff Stephanie in the Incinerator sounds like it is going to be loads of fun, given it is a horror movie from Troma, fine purveyors of blood and gore and assorted craziness throughout the years. With a title like that, what else could it be but another instant classic from the makers of the Toxic Avenger? Sadly, that is not what would ultimately appear on the screen; instead, the film is something entirely different.

Some might call it genius, while others will call it the most significant waste of time they have ever experienced. Realistically, it falls somewhere in the middle, but the good idea behind it all, courtesy of Don Nardo and Peter Jones, falls flat due to what has to be a limited budget and some very slow pacing. There are moments where it feels as if a person has been watching this movie for sixty-two years, and yet, the makers of this picture throw in enough twists and turns to keep one guessing as to where it is all going, not to mention wondering what this film is all about. It is a little confusing at first, and then after the first sequence is over, it takes a different direction, making one wonder once more what it is all about. It definitely tests the viewer’s patience if one does not pay one hundred percent attention to what is going on, but again, the pace allows for attention to waver. The fact that the actors and actresses are not as skilled in their craft as they could be also detracts from the overall production’s sheen.

The biggest sin this ‘horror’ film commits is not having any. There is a little tension here and there as events unfold in the various games, one of which is similar to The Most Dangerous Game. There appears to be a stabbing and so forth, but it is all just an act. There is no blood or anything of the sort, and given what was seen in the rest of the movie, one knows that it is all just an act and that nothing is real. There is a slight chance that the makers of the picture could prove the viewers wrong with yet another twist, but that is simply wishful thinking, and it never materializes. If there were some legitimate scares, even, that might have made this all worthwhile, perhaps; yet instead, it all plays out like a drab television movie and never manages to rise above.

If one is looking for something truly unique in a Troma film, Stuff Stephanie in the Incinerator will definitely fill that quota. There is no horror despite the very fun and misleading title, and it may try one’s patience and make a person wonder why they wasted ninety-eight minutes of their life, but it is one of a kind.

1 out of 5