VICIOUS FUN | FILM REVIEW
Dir: Cody Calahan (18, 103 mins)
Wearing 80s influences heavily on its sleeve, in everything from its electronic soundtrack to a neon-drenched production design plus the main character’s Marty McFly look, Vicious Fun is occasionally meta-fun. Loser film geek and caustic horror reviewer Joel (Evan Marsh) drunkenly stumbles into an assassin and serial killer’s support group, after following his roommate Sarah’s date, Bob (Ari Millen) in a fit of jealousy. Turns out that Bob is a sociopathic murderer who kills on third dates.
Initially, Joel tries to fit in with the likes of cannibal Hideo (Sean Baek), creepy clown accountant Fritz (Julian Richings), shortfused, lumbering Jason Voorhees-alike Mike (Robert Maillet) and stone-cold goth Carrie (Amber Goldfrab). The group is led by Anchorman’s David Koechner as Zachary, a shady government spook with a taste for mass murder. Joel utilizes his failed horror film ideas to earn his place at the table, confecting a taxi cab killer persona that is soon seen through. Joel now has to be killed in an unfolding bloodbath laced with silliness and gore, but finds he has an ally in assassin Carrie – who is herself out for vengeance, and who provides him with some relationship advice.
As the night continues, every cast member has fun chewing the scenery, in particular Millen’s bleach-haired dancing psychopath and moustachioed policemen Mark Gibson, Kristopher Bowman and geek John Fray. Marsh proves a likeable hero and the tone is darkly humourous throughout without stinting on the bloodletting: death by intestine strangulation, trepanning and slo-mo machete among the nasty thrills. Confidently directed by Calahan, and breezily written by James Villeneuve, this is an enjoyable slash of throwback pulp horror, aware enough of itself to entertain, provide the occasional scare and be, yes, rather fun.
Streaming on Shudder from Tue 29 June
words KEIRON SELF