A very affable Nathan Baesel plays the title character, an aspiring slasher aiming to take his place among the greats - Jason, Freddy, Michael. His every move is followed by a documentary film crew - Angela Goethals, Britain Spellings and Ben Pace - as he makes preparations for his first mass slaughter.<br /><br />"Behind the Mask: The Rise of Leslie Vernon" is as clever and engaging a skewering of the slasher genre as I've ever seen. Superb dialog ("You have to do lots of cardio to make it look like you're merely walking when everybody else is running!") and situations do an excellent job at establishing a methodology behind murder sprees. Leslie plans everything down to the last detail, including expectations on how characters will act and re-act. He figures out who his "survivor girl" will be, and is delighted when he attracts an "Ahab" (genre icon Robert Englund, doing a funny riff on Donald Pleasence's signature role of Dr. Loomis). He also finds the time to hook up with his mentor, now supposedly retired, played by the wonderful and under-rated veteran Scott Wilson. Wilson's dialog is particularly solid as he talks about the act of murder and considers it both a business and an art. There are also discussions about the nature of sexual symbolism, both phallic and yonic.<br /><br />Eventually, the movie shifts into another gear and reveals the grave seriousness behind Leslie's outgoing demeanor. Then we're in slightly more traditional slasher territory, but the movie continues to successfully subvert the genre's conventions, as Leslie is able to adjust admirably when his carefully constructed scenario seems to be going awry. There's a twist during the climax that is pulled off quite humorously. There's also an ultimate revelation to come although it doesn't come off as that surprising given the way the film-makers so gleefully play with us, and so well establish Leslie's cunning intelligence.<br /><br />Throw in an enjoyably gratuitous breast shot, a fair bit of graphic mayhem, and a cameo appearance by Zelda Rubinstein of "Poltergeist" fame, and the result is a movie that provides a welcome deconstruction of the slasher genre. It's both smart and entertaining and should provide some amusement for the genre's fans.<br /><br />Be sure to watch for the fleeting Kane Hodder cameo, and to stay through the end credits.<br /><br />8/10