Horror Movie Review: Killer Workout (1987)

Written and directed by David A. Prior, Killer Workout (also known as Aerobicide) is 1987 slasher horror film. One that is very light on the slashing and very heavy on the sleazy shots of women working out.

Hilariously bad, Killer Workout is a treat for fans for fans of the cheesiest in horror and can proudly boast that it introduces the worst killer weapon ever. Hyperbole? Absolutely not. The weapon of choice? An over-sized safety pin. This is not a joke.

The movie opens with a woman being burned in a malfunctioning tanning bed. Does she live or die? Will it play into the plot of the main movie in some way? Maybe!

Some time later the members of Rhonda’s Gym start getting killed off by an unseen maniac. This is a bit of a pain for the co-owner Rhonda Johnson (Marcia Karr). Although by her reaction and the remaining gym-goers, you wouldn’t know it. People wind up dead on a daily basis in the gym yet it never really seems to bother anyone as they continue to come and workout.

Even the police seem uninterested. The only one who seems to give a damn about the murders is detective Morgan (David Campbell) but he’s next to useless.

Rhonda’s partner is concerned about the effects the killings might have on the business though. So sends Chuck Dawson (Ted Prior) to infiltrate the gym posing as an employee. Again, he’s useless and more interested in starting fights then actually looking for a killer.

Will Rhonda, Detective Morgan and Chuck be able to solve the case and stop the killer?

Killer Workout seems as though it was made to be a cheesy on purpose. Like the aim was for it to be a film enjoyed with a ton of beer. It has to be.

The plot is so random and filled with these lengthy workout montages set to 80’s synth dance tunes that you’d have to be dead drunk to enjoy. At least a third of this film is workout montages with sleazy shots of women.

At least these moments don’t have dialogue (mostly). Enjoy the lack of characters talking because when they do…it’s pretty bad. There isn’t a good performance here, everyone playing their parts with awkwardness and at times, like they’re in a different movie all together.

The lack of action is ultimately Killer Workout’s big undoing yet it has reached cult status now. Seen as a ‘so bad, it’s good’ movie, in my opinion it’s just all bad. Yes, it’s very silly, yes, it’s very cheesy but it’s boring, nonsensical and doesn’t pay off in a worthwhile way.