Vicious Fun review – witty comic horror is a bloody good time | Film
Canadian writer-director Cody Calahan has been constructing one thing of a repute in horror circles for his playful, narratively subtle work in what appear to be superficially pulpy movies, corresponding to Delinquent, Let Her Out and The Oak Room. His newest providing is fairly on-brand, with winking meta-jokes, corresponding to having the central character Joel (Evan Marsh from Shazam!) be a journalist who writes about horror movies. What’s extra, once we first meet him, he’s pitching a narrative to a horror movie producer (Gord Rand) a couple of serial killer who’s a taxi driver, a joke that pays out satisfyingly a lot later. In much less skilful arms, gags like this may be extremely irritating, however Calahan and the forged get away with it because of advantageous comedian timing and likable ensemble taking part in.
The primary meat of the story doesn’t relate to horror film journalism or taxis, but it surely does contain serial killers. Whereas snooping on a man (Ari Millen, a captivating chameleon of an actor acquainted to Orphan Black followers) who’s relationship his roommate, on whom he has a crush, Joel finds himself at a bar late one evening the place a foolish string of happenstance forces him to participate in a self-help group for serial killers that’s assembly on the venue after hours. Joel is just not a serial killer, however he has to play alongside and faux being one with the intention to keep away from being murdered in grisly style by both vampish Carrie (Amber Goldfarb), psycho clown Fritz (the incomparable Julian Richings), cannibal Hideo (Sean Baek), thuggish Mike (Robert Maillet), or navy man and group chief Zachary (David Koechner, Champ from Anchorman and one in all comedy’s finest character actors). As soon as the bloodletting begins, Calahan interleaves it with witty asides and the pacing picks up so much, all combining to make this impish if flyweight leisure.
