Scared Shitless - FrightFest International Premiere Review
Director: Vivieno Caldinelli
Starring: Steven Ogg, Daniel Doheny, Chelsea Clark, Mark McKinney, Julian Richings
Written by: Brandon Cohen
Produced by: Lewis Spring
Cinematography by: Rudolf Blahacek
Original Score by: Blitz/Berlin
Synopsis:
A plumber and his germophobic son are forced to get their hands dirty to save the residents of an apartment building, when a genetically engineered, blood-thirsty creature escapes into the plumbing system.
Thoughts:
I think we can all agree that Canada is the greatest country in the world, right? Tim Hortons, Neil Young, Michael J Fox; some of the best exports from this glorious land, but they’re infamous for their spectacular sense of humour. John Candy, Mike Myers, Phil Hartman, Norm MacDonald, some of the greatest comedic minds to ever do it; yet Canada also holds another record...they also make some of the greatest horror films. 'Scanners', 'Ginger Snaps', 'Black Christmas', all fucked up bangers brought to you by those crazy canucks.
When I saw the title 'Scared Shitless', I was immediately questioning its quality, but my doubts were put aside when I learned that the movie was 1. Canadian and 2. starring Mark McKinney and Steven Ogg. I knew exactly what type of film I was about to watch and that I was in for a good time.
I love Mark McKinney and his work with 'The Kids in the Hall', and it’s very clear that director Vivieno Caldinelli does as well. Caldinelli is known in Canada for directing episodes of the popular sketch show 'This Hour Has 22 Minutes' and while watching 'Scared Shitless', it’s obvious to see the sketch show influences in the film especially when it comes to its comedy set piece. The comedy in the film is totally absurd, filled with silly humour and fart jokes, and of course that won’t be for everyone. Like I said, this feels very much like an extension of the same type of humour you’d get from 'The Kids in the Hall' or 'The Whitest Kids U Know'. There’s a joke involving a dead body at the end of the film that still has me laughing.
The performance across the board are all solid here, especially from Steven Ogg, who plays a more restrained character than he normally does. Ogg and Daniel Doheny play a great father/son duo and both refrain from going too over the top, which considering the subject, is rarely seen in horror comedies like this. Doheny and Chelsea Clark have a will they/won’t they love story throughout the movie, but it’s never too heavy handed or annoying.
The movie is 76 minutes and wastes absolutely no time getting to the story. It's actually refreshing to watch a film know exactly what it is and not waste time because it feels like it must to be considered a “real movie”. The horror aspect of the film is heavy influenced by films like 'Ghoulies' and 'Tremors', using fantastic practical effects to deliver gruesome set pieces. There is a lot of bodily fluid jokes at play here, so I wouldn’t recommend watching his film while eating dinner.
'Scared Shitless' is a film that shouldn’t work, but with a genuinely funny script, excellent performances and blood dripping practical effects, the film is an absolute blast to watch at a brisk 76 minutes. If you’re a fan of absurd comedy and movies that don’t take themselves too seriously, 'Scared Shitless' is a very good time.
Verdict: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
-Adam Neeson
'Scared Shitless' received its International Premiere at FrightFest '24 on August 26th.
留言