Horror Movie Review: Sweet Sixteen (1983)

Sweet Sixteen is a slasher-horror film that was directed by Jim Sotos, releasing in 1983. The film follows a teenage girl who moves to a small Texas town, after which a series of brutal murders plague the young men there.

When Melissa Morgan, an attractive big-city girl, moves to a small Texas town, she creates quite a stir with her beauty and promiscuous attitude.

She’s 15 going on 16, and all the boys at her new school are anxious to get to know her. Suddenly, the younger brother of a local is brutally murdered and the town sheriff must try to solve the murder before the killer strikes again. Only one thing is certain, every boy that spends time with Melissa ends up dead……

Sweet Sixteen is a mixed bag. Simply put, this is a murder mystery story so the eventual reveal needs to be a satisfying one. Unfortunately, it just falls a bit flat in somewhat confusing fashion. That isn’t to say that nothing about it is compelling. In fact, I felt pretty invested right up until the conclusion. There just seemed like so many other possibilities as to where to it could go that would have been so much more interesting.

Additionally, Melissa is supposedly 15 going on 16. I did wonder then why she is shown topless and even fully naked at one stage. It all feels very exploitative and just a bit awkward.

The murder sequences are disappointing as well because you don’t see very much. It cuts away awkwardly so it doesn’t deliver the horror sadly.

One aspect that cannot be criticized is the acting. I liked the family dynamic and everyone plays their parts well enough. I could be off base but it appeared to me that the film is attempting to make some kind of commentary on predatory behaviour towards woman. I just feel that it does so in an overly convoluted manner.

Overall, Sweet Sixteen ends up feeling half-baked in almost every department. Still, I enjoyed it for what it was.