Stage 6
2015 Color/B&W
88 Mins.
Horror-Comedy
Taissa Farminga, Malin Ackerman, Alexander Ludwig, Nina Dobrev, Alia Shawkat, Thomas Middleditch, Adam Devine and Angela Trimbur star.
Written by M.A. Fortin and Joshua John Miller
Directed by Todd Strauss Schulson\
Rated PG-13 for language, violence, gore and sexuality.
I have been eagerly anticipating this movie ever since it was first screened at SXSW some time ago. The movie ended with a roaring approval from the audience and the buzz began. Well I can say after so many months of waiting I wasn't disappointed. The movie really lived up to that awesome trailer although it wasn't perfect. The movie is centered around a young woman named Max played impressively by the stunning Taissa Farminga of AHS fame and her mother played by the spunky Mailin Ackerman (Heartbreak Kid). After an unfortunate accident leaves her mother dead Max finds herself attending a double screening of the 80's slasher films that her mother had starred in three years later. But a freak accident sends her and her friends fleeing through the screen and into the actual movie. Where a demented Jason Voorhees like murder stalks and kills anyone who has sex or gets in his way. Now Max and her friends must find a way to escape before they get caught up in the cinematic madman's reign and save her mother along the way. This movie goes way beyond the self referential angle into something all it's own. At it's center its a story about dealing with grief and letting go which it does very well. But everything that surrounds it is so clever from playing against expectations to well drawn supporting characters and a unique perspective on the horror genre in general. The movie has big laughs and little scares but what's most impressive is how much we care for these characters and how emotionally resonant the film is. The performances from Ackerman and Farminga are really effective and genuine. They feel like mother and daughter, the chemistry is great. And Farminga has a real sense of her character and shows an emotional complexity she hasn't before. Also impressive are Shawkat as her smart ass best friend, she gets some really big laughs and Nina Dobrev as a quippy mean girl that really has more complexity to her than you would expect. As for the boys Alexander Ludwig is gorgeous as our would be hero. He adds an emotional depth not seen in many of these studly one note characters and feels very genuine. Adam Devine of Pitch perfect fame is goofy and funny as usual. The direction from Schulson is inspired having come off the franchise saving A Very Harold and Kumar Christmas, his pacing is solid and his visual palette is extremely impressive as the film is soaked in bright colors and wide shots that make everything feel fresh and very theatrical. And the screenplay by genre vet actor Miller of Near Dark fame and newbie Fortin is fantastically fun and well though out. Despite the endless amount of praise I can throw towards this film. I do feel that the movie could have been a bit longer, a little scarier and an R rating would have helped with showing the goods that made the film it's trying to send up so popular to begin with. But all in all it's an extremely satisfying, creative and unique horror comedy that has a brilliant time sending up the genre. It's hilarious, clever with great performances and emotionally effective! One of the best of the year and one of the best overall! ****.5/5
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