TUCKER AND DALE VS EVIL

A Doozy Of A Movie

Directed by Eli Craig
Starring Tyler Labine, Alan Tudyk and Katrina Bowden

Eli Craig’s latest offering howls off the screen as one of the most enjoyable and original genre films made in years. I usually despise horror films, particularly ones which either frighten the bejeesus out of me, which I don’t find very enjoyable, or the ones which are sadistic, cruel and ultimately out-and-out tedious. This however is a different beast altogether.

Eli Craig’s joyous adventure, which follows the titular heroes through John Denver country into the Appalachian Mountains, is a beautifully balanced mix of Charlie Chaplin’s physical absurdity, mixed with Bruce Campell’s comic viciousness in the vein of the Evil Dead outings. There are bucket loads of blood, preposterous death scenes, no real believability whatsoever and it all works perfectly.

It is an energising experience to be in a cinema filled with people who are constantly laughing out-loud, and that’s exactly what this film gives the audience. The character gags run deep and they just keep on coming and they are genuinely clever and genuinely funny. It is miracle writing wrapped around a tawdry and oft abused movie premise. The plot is the oldest in the horror genre book. There are teenagers in the woods, they’re out to drink beer, get stoned and hopefully have unprotected sex with each other, which they’ll regret the next day. There’s the obligatory creepy cabin and there’s two even creepier unwashed hillbillies packing a selection of chainsaws, scythes, wood chippers and a six pound jar of pickled eggs. Unbeknownst to the campers, the hillbillies have all the machinery to fix up their newly acquired vacation house (not slaughter any unsuspecting teenagers) and unbeknownst to rednecks Dale and Tucker, the campers are about to get a little paranoid and a little nasty following a series of unfortunate events, which leads to a misunderstanding of ghastly proportions.

The film opens by not letting you in on the joke too soon, but soon enough in order to let you know you’re not about to watch one of the above mentioned horror flicks, where stoner teens with flawless bodies stumble into the mouth of hell, all the while careening through absurd and pointless character arcs shouting at the sky and crying out to be killed. There are all of those elements here, but instead of filling in space between slashings, they serve to heighten the enjoyment of the enterprise by gently reminding the audience how banal the original source material can truly be.

This film is being compared to Shaun Of The Dead, which I think is unfair. This film is much sharper, wittier, not overly long and achieves the tongue in cheek balance between reality and ridiculousness perfectly. A feat which the comparison flick did not achieve whatsoever. This also has the benefit of not featuring Simon Pegg.

Lead actors Tyler Labine and Alan Tudyk are fantastic in their parts as simple, innocent country boys mistaken for blood thirsty psychopaths, who really only want to realise their dreams of endless cold beer, hungry catfish and maybe the affections of a beautiful woman. The players cast as the mindless teenagers seem to have been chosen for their bad acting chops, but again it all works towards executing the grand plan. Director Eli Craig’s history includes being the son of legend Sally Field as well as a bit part actor in the slow paced and sentimental Space Cowboys (2000), and it seems that the tutelage under Hollywood’s modern masters in Clint Eastwood and his aforementioned mum, has done Craig and the cinema scene, the world of good.

Dale And Tucker Vs Evil: hillbillies: 1; evil: on it’s arse.

_ADAM MORRIS