Horror Movie Review: The Brotherhood V: Alumni (2009)

While it might be the fifth film in the series, The Brotherhood V: Alumni marks a tone shift for the franchise. One that borrows heavily from the likes of I Know What You Did Last Summer. Which is an extremely questionable decision considering this film came out in 2009.

Not only that, the supernatural elements of the series was a major component of what made them stand out, aside from the homoerotic elements. So, to see this franchise turn into nothing more than a sub-standard slasher flick, is disappointing.

Happily, it’s as gay as always. In fact, thanks to one particular scene, it is the gayest yet. You can read our reviews of the series so far, below.

2001: The Brotherhood
2001: The Brotherhood II: Young Warlocks
2002: The Brotherhood III: Young Demons
2005: The Brotherhood IV: The Complex

Starring Brett Novek, Arthur Napiontek, Preston Davis, Maria Aceves, Nathan Parsons, Oskar Rodriguez, and Lindsey Landers. As per usual, David DeCoteau handles directing duties with the story being written by Moses Rutegar.

There have been very few reasons to get excited about this series to date, and sadly, The Brotherhood V: Alumni does nothing to rectify that. The story surrounds a group of students at Sunnydale High playing a prank on another student that results in him being killed. By who? No-one knows and no-one is willing to admit to it.

Of course, this will be the end for all of their individual aspirations so they agree to hide the body and never tell anyone about what happened. They agree to take the secret to their grave.

That is until one year later, when they all receive a letter suggesting that someone knows what they did and is demanding they return to the school to face it. Which should be a terrifying prospect, but this cast of bland characters treat it like a reunion. Wandering the halls (after hours), drinking, flirting, and having softcore sex.

Of course, someone wanted them to come back. A killer is stalking the halls but is it someone who knows what they did or is it someone trying to cover their tracks?

It’s extremely hard to care. The story set-up is such a blatant rip-off but lacks the acting or character writing to be interesting. The location, an after-hours school is extremely boring to be in, and the killer aspect is lazy and insipid to watch. Like most of the movies in this franchise, The Brotherhood V: Alumni is not a gory movie but neither is it creepy or scary.

What it is, is homoerotic and in a first for the franchise, this movie actually has openly gay characters. Talk about a step forward! It’s just a pity that everywhere else is such a step back. The Brotherhood V: Alumni is (arguably) the worst of the franchise to date because of how little it tries to be original.