Common Sense Media Review
By Jeffrey M. Anderson
,
based on child development research. How do we rate?
Would-be horror comedy is just mean and awful.
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All Cheerleaders Die
What's the Story?
When cheerleader Alexis (Felisha Cooper) dies during practice, her football player boyfriend, Terry (Tom Williamson), quickly moves on to another girl in the squad, Tracy (Brooke Butler). Outcast Maddy (Caitlin Stasey) was one of Alexis' childhood friends and, horrified by these events, decides to join the cheerleading squad and get revenge. She begins seducing Tracy and driving a wedge between the new lovers. Things are going according to plan when an argument at a party leads to a terrible accident. A Wiccan girl, Leena (Sianoa Smit-McPhee), who loves Maddy, uses a spell to give things a bizarre new supernatural twist. Will things ever be normal again?
Is It Any Good?
Director Lucky McKee made an auspicious horror debut with 2002's wonderful May, but he's tumbled a long way down with All Cheerleaders Die. This movie is based on McKee's early short film and is co-directed by Chris Sivertson. Some have seen this movie as a sly satire on the lowly roles of women in horror films, but at the same time, it's actually a horror movie about women occupying those same roles.
The movie makes a cursory attempt at some character arcs for its five cheerleaders, but they don't go very far. Occasionally, some awful male characters die at the women's hands, but the women never stop getting the short end of the stick. Equally disturbingly, the lead male character is totally evil, treating women violently and with contempt. On top of it all, the movie looks and sounds junky and muddled, the visual effects are below par, and the jokes land with a thud.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about All Cheerleaders Die's violence. Is it supposed to be thrilling, brutal, or both? What's the difference? What's the dividing line?
Is the movie scary or just gory? How does it compare to other horror movies you've seen?
What does the movie have to say about violence against women? Do the women get their revenge? Does it help?
Movie Details
- In theaters : June 13, 2014
- On DVD or streaming : July 22, 2014
- Cast : Caitlin Stasey , Sianoa Smit-McPhee , Brooke Butler
- Directors : Chris Sivertson , Lucky McKee
- Inclusion Information : Female Movie Actor(s) , Gay Movie Actor(s)
- Studio : Image Entertainment
- Genre : Horror
- Topics : School ( High School )
- Run time : 90 minutes
- MPAA rating :
- Last updated : September 29, 2025
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