Shudder’s Vicious Fun Grins Its Way Through Serial-Killer Mayhem

Twenty-five years in the past, the primary Scream film discovered nice success dropping characters who occurred to be horror-movie followers into a slasher plot ripped from the aisles of Blockbuster Video. Vicious Fun, a brand new Canadian horror-comedy now streaming on Shudder, gives the same state of affairs however with a protagonist whose love of splatter doesn’t really give him any benefit when his personal life begins uncomfortably resembling the films he adores. Fortunately, he has assist—a vital survival technique after he unwittingly ticks off a gaggle of brutal murderers.

Directed by Cody Calahan and written by James Villeneuve, Vicious Fun focuses on dorky Joel (Evan Marsh), who writes for a Fangoria-ish journal. He blunders right into a harmful state of affairs by getting very drunk and by chance crashing a self-help assembly for serial killers; the aim of this group is a bit nebulous (apart from an excuse to get all these characters into the identical room), however apparently speaking about one’s emotions in a secure place is one thing that helps even bloodthirsty maniacs. The eclectic bunch features a hulking Jason Voorhees sort (former professional wrestler Robert Maillet), a sadistic clown (Julian Richings), a ninja-chef-cannibal (Sean Baek), and a army dude who exploits his place to commit mass killings (Anchorman’s David Koechner).

There’s additionally the late-arriving Bob (Ari Millen), whose American Psycho tendencies and Members Only jacket are typically the one reminder that Vicious Fun is ready within the Eighties, and the surly Carrie (Amber Goldfarb), who—unbeknownst to the others at first, although it’s not a plot spoiler—is a mash-up of Dexter and murderer, employed by a mysterious company to criss-cross the nation in search of out and slaying the worst of the worst. Joel’s capable of pretend his manner at first, pretending to be an absent new member “Phil” (who was already checked off Carrie’s kill checklist), however he’s quickly found. Fortunately, since Joel’s not on Carrie’s kill checklist, she begrudgingly helps him keep away from being lowered to a pink stain on the ground.

Vicious Fun leans into the “comedy” a part of “horror-comedy” for many of its runtime. Though the nice guys do get banged up because the film progresses, you by no means consider they’re in any actual hazard (the identical can’t be mentioned for among the different characters, so relaxation assured there’s loads of gore). Really, this film is much less eager about serial-killer tradition than it’s Joel’s transformation from a nerd who will get his thrills solely from watching horror films to a assured man who can really sorta maintain his personal in harmful conditions. Better residing by homicide, if you’ll—although it’s homicide with a sure ethical compass since Carrie’s the one exhibiting him the ropes.

Slasher films are well-known for the heroics of the last woman—a personality who survives on sheer gumption and triumphs in that final grotesque showdown. Vicious Fun isn’t a slasher film within the conventional sense, however it’s uncommon in that it has a male lead who should depend on a a lot stronger lady to beat his many vulnerabilities. We don’t actually get to know Carrie; naturally, she’s secretive about herself, comprehensible given her line of labor, however largely her functions are to be a beast within the struggle scenes and to remind Joel to take away his head from his ass. She additionally serves as a counterbalance to the opposite lady within the film: Joel’s roommate and mega-crush Sarah (Alexa Rose Steele), who views him strictly platonically. Carrie’s not there not simply to save lots of Joel’s life (repeatedly), however to bluntly level out that if Sarah’s made her option to put him within the pal zone, he must respect that. All that’s to say that the feminine characters are a bit underwritten, however actually everybody on this film is pretty one-note. To get too deep into growing any of them would take away from Vicious Fun’s splat-happy tone and breakneck pacing.

Though it’s tempting to want that Carrie—manner cooler, manner extra intriguing—had been elevated to protagonist standing over Joel, doing so would’ve taken away from Vicious Fun’s different delight, which is all its self-referential horror fanservice. We’ve seen it achieved earlier than; it’s a longtime manner for filmmakers to wink on the viewers in a “we know you know, fellow gorehounds” type of manner. The story introduces us to Joel as he’s conducting an interview for his horror magazine, however finds himself unable to withstand needling a schlocky director about falling again on the identical drained clichés and tropes. Later, a distinct character principally pauses the motion to present a rapid-fire (and completely correct) breakdown of what a style film is. The upshot: Vicious Fun is clearly a movie made by followers for followers, and it’s meant to entertain (the phrase “fun” is correct there within the title, in spite of everything) slightly than make some large assertion or break a lot new floor. And in that, it undoubtedly succeeds.

Vicious Fun is now streaming on Shudder.

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