RECAP:  The  130 year old Licking County Jail is filled with strange characters this Halloween season.  The terror begins outside, where a crazed, straight-jacketed, laughing girl runs wildly through the attraction arousing the suspicion of a path-blocking, sledge hammer carrying clown calling out to one of his cohorts, “Hey Bubba, they’re here!”  Before reinforcements can arrive, we flee through a large, claustrophobic passage only to come face-to-face with a snorting, pig-faced butcher armed with a giant kitchen knife who's anxious to carve intruders up into human bacon!   Detouring into a dark maze soon unleashes a vicious chainsaw assault before entering the back of the building, and into the “Jail of Terror!”  Up the old stairs and into the cell area discovers multiple, escaped inmates running amuck through the hallways, one of whom momentarily impedes advancement prior to turning and running away holding onto a cute, little Teddy bear.

Convicts laugh hysterically while chasing intruders from one cell block into another, and beyond a bloody, run-down shower, where a lifeless body hangs in its midst.  Emerging from beneath a cot in a subsequent cell, a female prisoner comes forth, giving pursuit from behind, and making strange sounds and noises, while her head twitches about, then a second incarcerated woman is seen practically bent over double on a gurney, looking at first like she’d been killed, but the double-jointed lady unexpectedly gets up, snarls, growls, and begins to slowly crawl towards us on the floor!  Progression leads the course down  to another floor of the jail - a carnival-like area of clowns and giggling, jailbird jesters in advance of a pick-a-door surprise.  Eventual discovery of the one-and-only way out mandates avoidance of blasting air guns, loud pounding on walls, and additional practical jokers delivering sudden attacks, one courtesy of a girl clown promising, “ I’ll be under your bed when you go to sleep tonight!”  Several more clashes are on the horizon, building to a convict almost happily sounding the alarm, “You’ll never make it out of here alive, 'Squeakers' is hungry!”  And it doesn't take long to learn the identity of "Squeakers," - a giant, red-eyed, mouth chomping, carnivorous rat that obviously hasn't eaten for days!  Not wanting to satisfy the oversized rodent's appetite, we run for our lives out of The Jail of Terror!

ANALYSIS:  Actor’s were most energetic, doing their absolute best to deliver quality scares, and make sure everyone had a memorable experience.  Notables include girl hiding beneath cot; double-jointed, gurney girl crawling on the floor; sledgehammer clown; bloody-mouthed, billy club carrying warden; Teddy bear con; and pig-faced butcher, who put his knife up to our throats!  Costuming and make-up is good throughout.  Lighting is effective and soundtrack is complementary, although a few quiet areas exist.  Decor and props are appropriate to the theme, and they save the best for last - attack courtesy of an enraged, flesh-eating, actortronic rat!  Price is a bit on the steep side given the attraction's rather short duration, but it's good while it lasts, and the haunt serves as a fundraiser to preserve the facility, which is a major player in and of itself, positively contributing to the overall aura of the experience.  Maneuvering within and between the old prison cells, winding your way through various cell blocks, and exploring solitary confinement are all appreciated, and certainly legitimize the event as a whole.

This was Ohio Valley Haunts' very first visit to Newark, Ohio's Jail of Terror, housed at The Licking County Historic Jail.  If you're in the area, stop by and pay them a visit for some enjoyable, seasonal, Halloween scares!