Behind the Mask: The Rise of Leslie Vernon A serial killer plans a murder rampage. • Grade: B • Rated: R • Running time: 92 minutes

A deconstructionist horror comedy that owes a debt to Scream and 1992's Man Bites Dog, Mask takes the form (mainly) of a mockumentary. A group of college filmmakers, led by neophyte reporter Angela Goethals, follows Leslie Vernon (Nathan Baesel) as he meticulously sets about planning a murder rampage that he hopes will earn him a place in the supernatural serial-killer pantheon that includes Jason and Freddy.

The movie's first hour - heavy on self-reflective horror-movie tropes and shrewd digs at documentary filmmaking - is the strongest. It's a little too easy to figure out how the final 30 minutes will play out. But Baesel's performance is electric, and the movie is a smart calling card for the filmmakers.