Before its official release, Jeepers Creepers 3 had a great deal of controversy surrounding it. With its director being monitored for child abuse allegations, it appeared the third entry in the series was not going to make waves, even if it ended up being a masterpiece. Looking at the film objectively and without the lingering moral issues of its creator on my mind, I can attest that Jeepers Creepers 3 is not only a terrible film, but it is a lesson in how to make something far, far below mediocrity.

On the surface, Upgrade seems like a run-of-the-mill revenge thriller with just enough science fiction to broaden its appeal. The bones are certainly there. A strong jawed man's man is forced to witness the demise of a loved one and is presented with a unique chance to bring the fight to those responsible. We've seen it a hundred times probably just in the last few months. However, Upgrade manages to pull just enough punches to be the revenge thriller it wants to be.

Even those of us a few years removed from our college days no doubt remember the stress of finals week. Those late nights spent staring bleary-eyed into a textbook on a subject far removed from our majors yet essential, from a bureaucratic perspective, to our futures just the same. Tensions were high during those dying days of the semester, and it’s there that Final Exam resides, a slasher more concerned with academics and social circles than actual slashing. Other films, from all genres, have played in this space, but few have done so with such a stunning lack of, well, anything.