VICIOUS FUN (2020)

Studio:      Shudder/Black Fawn Films
Director:    Cody Calahan
Writer:      James Villeneuve
Producer:  Chad Archibald, Cody Calahan
Stars:     Evan Marsh, Amber Goldfarb, Ari Millen, Julian Richings, Robert Maillet, Mark Gibson, Kristopher Bowman, John Fray, Sean Baek, Alexa Rose Steele, David Koechner

Review Score:

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Summary:

A horror film journalist falls in over his head when he accidentally stumbles into a 12-step meeting for serial killers.

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Synopsis:     Show/Hide Spoilers

In 1983 Minnesota, serial killer Phil targets Carrie, who secretly hunts serial killers, outside a motel. Carrie surprises Phil by suddenly stabbing him in his throat once he locks her inside his car.

Joel, a film critic for the horror magazine Vicious Fanatics, interviews B-movie director Jack Portwood. Joel tells Jack his idea for a film about a serial killing taxicab driver.

At home, Joel sees his roommate Sarah, who he has an unrequited crush on, being dropped off by her new boyfriend Bob. Jealous of Bob and anxious for insight into Sarah, Joel follows Bob to a Chinese restaurant where they engage in conversation at the bar. Unaware of Joel’s true identity, Bob speaks disparagingly about Sarah’s pitiable roommate before sticking Joel with their tab and leaving with another woman.

Joel continues getting drunk, stumbles into a supply closet, and passes out. The restaurant locks up for the night. When he recovers, Joel wanders back into the dining room where Zachary leads a 12-step meeting for Carrie, Fritz, Mike, and Hideo. The group mistakes Joel for Phil. Sensing danger if they realize he isn’t supposed to be there, Joel plays along.

Joel gradually realizes he is stuck in a self-help meeting for serial killers. Joel uses his movie idea about a killer cab driver in an attempt to blend in.

Joel discovers Bob is also a serial killer when Bob returns for the meeting. Bob pokes holes in Joel’s killer cab driver claims until everyone realizes Joel isn’t Phil.

The killers argue over how to handle their interloper. When Zachary asserts too much authority, Mike, Bob, and Fritz kill him. Carrie uses the opportunity to lock herself and Joel inside the kitchen. Carrie reveals she belongs to a secret organization and is on a mission to assassinate serial killers.

Fritz tries getting inside the kitchen through an exterior door, but Carrie cuts off his fingers. Hideo sneaks into the kitchen through an overhead vent, but Joel plays possum so Carrie can sneak up from behind and strangle Hideo with Phil’s intestines.

Bob finds Joel’s driver’s license and discovers he is Sarah’s roommate. Bob taunts Joel by threatening to kill Sarah. Joel tells Carrie about his crush and how he followed Bob to learn more about his relationship with Sarah. Carrie points out that Joel should reexamine his own stalker-like behavior.

Without consulting Carrie, Joel pulls the fire alarm. Carrie warns Joel that the cops won’t save them like he thinks they will. Bob calls 911 to frame Carrie as a dangerous threat. Bob, Mike, and Fritz then flee the scene. The police arrive and arrest Carrie and Joel upon finding the dead bodies.

Officer Tony and detectives Doyle and Hollands take Carrie and Joel to the police station for questioning. Joel tries explaining what happened, but the detectives dismiss his seemingly crazy claims. Joel also tries calling Sarah to warn her about Bob, but she simply says she is coming to get Joel before hanging up. Even though Carrie warns that Bob and the other killers will come to the station to murder everyone, the disbelieving detectives lock Carrie and Joel in a cell.

Bob poses as a special agent to infiltrate the police station. Bob’s ruse gives him access to a notebook confiscated from Carrie. Carrie’s kill list reveals what she has been doing.

Fritz kills Officer Tony. Mike and Bob kill the two detectives. Using a stolen paper clip, Carrie unlocks the cells holding her and Joel. Carrie kills Mike and Fritz.

Sarah is shocked at the bloody scene when she arrives at the station. Bob stabs Carrie from behind. Joel gets stabbed in his arm when he steps in to shield Carrie. After knocking Bob to the floor, Joel helps Carrie limp outside to Sarah’s car. Sarah smacks into Bob while speeding away to the hospital.

Bob poses as a doctor to infiltrate the hospital where Carrie and Joel are being treated. Joel helps Carrie fight Bob. Carrie stabs Bob to death with a scalpel. Having changed her mind about Joel’s ineffectual uselessness, Carrie considers taking him on as an apprentice. Joel nods goodbye to Sarah as he and Carrie sneak out of the hospital.

Some time later, Carrie and Joel take down a serial killer hiding out at a movie theater showing a Jack Portwood film based on the killer cab driver idea Jack stole from Joel.

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Review:

I’ve said it before and I’ll probably keep saying it until they blip blindingly bright on the entire horror community’s radar: Canada’s Black Fawn Films collective, spearheaded by Chad Archibald and Cody Calahan, consistently makes intriguing B-movies that more indie film fans ought to pay attention to. Personal satisfaction is subject to extreme fluctuation, of course. I consider myself a fan overall, although even I’ve rated some of their efforts in the red. However, even when something of theirs doesn’t hit the spot, I still know they’re going to deliver every penny of polish possible for a low-budget production. The stories themselves might leave you underwhelmed, yet you’ll always appreciate that everyone put in the work to put together the best project they could.

Cody Calahan’s “Vicious Fun” is a pretty good example of this. It’s a dark comedy with a runtime whose minutes are mostly chewed up by dialogue-intensive interactions. Being underweight on action that doesn’t take place with characters in chairs or standing still means we’re not in for high-octane thrills. Narcoleptic viewers might want to nap beforehand or else they’re susceptible to a yawn or three during slower stretches.

At the same time, you’ll want to make sure tired eyes stay open to soak up a stylishly simple sheen not often seen at this level. As usual with this creative crew, their film features colorful lighting, crisp cinematography, and controlled sets populated with more than enough props to pass as the places they’re supposed to be. If nothing else, “Vicious Fun” looks a lot better than any average horror-comedy you’ll find swimming in a DTV stream.

It’s 1983 in Minnesota. Composer Steph Copeland provides the audio component for the movie’s mild retro vibe with a synth score, but don’t worry. The music is period appropriate and blends into the background without sounding like the umpteenth emulation of a John Carpenter and Alan Howarth collaboration.

Joel is the film’s hero. He carries a scorching torch for his roommate Sarah. He’s also a critic for a faux-Fangoria magazine and a bit of a fast-talking bumbler, so you can imagine how well his wannabe romance is going in reality.

Hoping to gain insight into Sarah’s love life, Joel follows her new beau Bob to a Chinese restaurant. Pretending to be someone else, Joel doesn’t like what he hears when Bob speaks insultingly about Sarah’s loser roommate. Joel likes it even less when Bob sticks him with a big bar tab before bolting out the door with another woman. Joel then does what any depressed lonely heart would do and continues getting drunk, stumbles into a supply closet, and passes out while the place locks up for the night.

When he wakes, Joel discovers he isn’t alone. The restaurant may be closed, but there’s a small group of people seated in the dining room. Joel senses their suspicion, so when they mistake him for someone named Phil, Joel plays along and joins what he presumes is a 12-step meeting for addicts.

Joel’s guess was kind of correct, except what these addicts are obsessed with is murder. To his horror, Joel gradually realizes he’s trapped with a roomful of emotionally-distressed serial killers. He has just enough imagination and quick wit to concoct his own story about being a killer cab driver. But when they finally figure out who Joel really is, he’ll need the help of an undercover assassin to make it out alive.

So that all expectations start on the same page, note that the self-help scenes occupy almost 20 minutes of the movie, and that comes after 20 minutes of setting up Joel’s stakes and his initial conversation with Bob. In other words, it’s fair to say “Vicious Fun” goes big on being talky. Also note that despite copious conversations, Calahan keeps the buildup as up-tempo as he can. Part of his strategy involves constantly cutting around the self-help circle, ever mindful of lingering on any one shot for longer than two seconds. A bigger part of the plan for spicing up “Vicious Fun” has to do with the acting ensemble.

They aren’t the kookiest characters ever written for a horror-comedy, but a veteran cast provides all the personality their vast experience permits. “Orphan Black’s” Ari Millen sinks his teeth into all kinds of shtick as Bob, wildly dancing to a jukebox jam, impersonating an FBI agent, and always effusing quiet menace mixed with quizzical charisma. Most unexpectedly, Julian Richings gleefully plays a serial killing clown best described as a vague version of what The Joker might be like when he’s nearing retirement. Evan Marsh employs a lot of wide eyes and gaping mouths to sell Joel’s ongoing shock, but Marsh bounces off his scene partners quite well to keep Joel goofily appealing, even if his charm is subdued.

“Vicious Fun” picks up more steam in the home stretch, although by that time I was starting to lose mine. The movie wasn’t turning me off by any means, but it wasn’t keeping me completely tuned in either. Perhaps the best way to put it is to say “Vicious Fun” could use more zip on its lip, particularly since it is so interplay oriented. A couple of one-liners did make me laugh out loud though. My enthusiasm might not have waned as often as it did if the film kept its comedic edge slicing with one smooth cut instead of only jabbing here and there.

I can sum up by circling back to my Black Fawn Films spiel. “Vicious Fun” wears a “your mileage may vary” tag that hangs on how much an irreverently snarky, character-focused chamber play that’s oddly fascinated with payphones tickles your fright film funny bone. Horror-comedy isn’t usually my thing. But when I saw “Vicious Fun” came out of Black Fawn, I knew I’d get something out of the movie even if that something wasn’t entertainment. With that mindset, I wasn’t disappointed at all. “Vicious Fun” didn’t knock me over, and yet it increased my interest in what this collective creates because their love of cinema, specifically ‘80s horror, explodes infectiously all over the screen.

Review Score: 60

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