April Fool's Day

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April Fool's Day

R

1986

1h 29m

Mystery & Thriller

Horror

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Tomatometer

Popcornmeter

64%

Tomatometer

28 Reviews

48%

Popcornmeter

10,000+ Ratings

When a group of college students decides to spend spring break at the secluded island estate of their wealthy classmate, Muffy St. John (Deborah Foreman), what starts out as a fun, hedonistic weekend turns into something more sinister. Muffy is very fond of practical jokes, and sets up numerous gags throughout her mansion. But, when friends begin going missing and turn up dead, they realize that they're trapped on the isolated isle with a mysterious and brutal killer.

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Critics Consensus

April Fool's Day takes a decent stab at deconstructing the slasher genre, but an underwhelming story keeps it from really sinking in.

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Paul Attanasio

Washington Post

Jan 4, 2018

The suspense sequences are stylishly managed...

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Nick Schager

Lessons of Darkness

May 3, 2005

D

I've seen this film before...as an episode of The Golden Girls.

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Felix Vasquez Jr.

Cinema Crazed

Apr 29, 2026

It’s become a favorite of the sub-genre, and indicates a point where studios were beginning to satirize the tropes of the sub-genre.

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Ken Hanke

Mountain Xpress (Asheville, NC)

Apr 29, 2026

3/5

Also in its favor is the fact that it’s rather good natured about its mayhem, which is to say that its grisly parts are never of the unpleasantly sadistic variety. It’s kind of fun. Just don’t be expecting an overlooked masterpiece.

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Anthony Arrigo

Dread Central

Apr 27, 2026

3.5/5

It had been a good 15 years or more since I last watched this film and it was great to see it not only holds up well but cleans up just as nicely, too.

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Alan Jones

Radio Times

May 13, 2025

3/5

Responsible for the seminal stalk-and-slash movie When a Stranger Calls, director Fred Walton made a belated return to the much-maligned genre he helped create with this amusing diversion, inspired more by Agatha Christie than by Friday the 13th.

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Robert P

@Superbad Oct 5, 2026

April Fool's Day is a 2.5 star Movie!

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CodyZamboni Z

@CodyZamboni Sep 21, 2025

Cheap looking, would be slasher pic, But with a bit more imagination. I was surprised how clever this was. With some actual suspense, I enjoyed the ending reveal.

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Craig W.

@CJWolfe27 Jul 22, 2025

This movie is great, really surprised me at the end

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Farah R

@Farah May 30, 2025

For a film released during the height of its genre, April Fool's Day puts an ingenious twist on the formulaic aspects of its plot. The teenagers were played by great young actors who convincingly portrayed their characters with heart. The film didn't rely on gore, but opted for suspense and tension, which were more effective for making compelling kills. The ending was the best part, so be sure to sit for it all the way through.

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Nick O

@Nicki1985 May 27, 2025

Buncha wisecrackin’ rich college kids on a weekend vacation, bout to get what’s coming to em’…and it ain’t there inheritance!

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IrateTyrant C

@IrateTyrant May 12, 2025

For 80s Surprise Slashers, SLEEPAWAY CAMP and This! How do you write a review for this movie without giving away too many spoilers and still make somebody want to watch it? It starts with an ahead-of-its-time meta scene. Then, it gets into some crazy pranks by the characters. You might start by thinking "oh, bad acting", but you get used to it pretty quickly. It's the 80s! Then, the slasher elements start creeping up. Predictable victims and offscreen kills. Even though it may seem like a run-of-the-mill slasher, you'll have to admit, it's a fun one. It was directed by the guy who did When a Stranger Calls but is surprisingly somehow much more interesting and entertaining. It was written, however, by the guy who did Beverly Hills Cop. If nothing else tips you off that this is going to be different, that should. Truly, hats off. Ya got me!

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Synopsis

When a group of college students decides to spend spring break at the secluded island estate of their wealthy classmate, Muffy St. John (Deborah Foreman), what starts out as a fun, hedonistic weekend turns into something more sinister. Muffy is very fond of practical jokes, and sets up numerous gags throughout her mansion. But, when friends begin going missing and turn up dead, they realize that they're trapped on the isolated isle with a mysterious and brutal killer.

Director: Fred Walton
Producer: Frank Mancuso Jr.
Screenwriter: Danilo Bach
Production Co: Paramount
Rating: R
Genre: Mystery & Thriller, Horror
Original Language: English
Release Date (Streaming): Aug 1, 2013
Box Office (Gross USA): $11.3M
Runtime: 1h 29m
Sound Mix: Surround, Stereo

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