Fix: Hillbilly Horror-Comedy
Platform: Netflix, Prime Video
Netflix Summary:
Expecting to relax at their “vacation” cabin, two backwoods boys see their trip turn into a nightmare when they’re accused of being psychotic killers.
FYA Summary:
OK, think of this as two separate movies merged together. There’s the classic horror movie staple: the college students on a boozy and sexytimes camping getaway. Then there are Tucker and Dale, a pair of best buds just kickin’ it at their new old vacation home. When the two groups cross path, the college kids automatically — and erroneously — assume that Tucker and Dale are murderin’ murderfolk. Hilarity and gore ensue.
Familiar Faces:
Tyler Labine as Dale
Although he’s since become a professional scene-stealer in a string of short-lived shows like Reaper and Invasion, Tyler Labine will always be Jimmy on Breaker High (and BFFs to Ryan Gosling’s Sean) to me. Underneath Dale’s gruff exterior is a sweet fella who has trubs talking to girls.
Alan Tudyk as Tucker
Likewise: WASH. No, wait — ALPHA. (Holy shizz, he was psychotically hot in Dollhouse.) Basically, Alan Tudyk has appeared and been enjoyable in many things — including here as the slightly wiser Tucker.
Katrina Bowden as Allison
Yes, this is the babe role. But as with the other main characters, Allison doesn’t just neatly fit into a stereotype. Plus: thanks to her tenure on 30 Rock, Katrina actually has decent comedic timing.
And since this is a Canadian movie, there are also actors that I recognize from obscure Canadian shows (i.e., not Degrassi). But this section isn’t called “Familiar Faces to Everyone Who Shares Mandy W’s Canadian TV Watching Sensibilities”, so.
Couch-Sharing Capability: High
Watching this with a big crowd would certainly enhance an already fun viewing experience. Even the most squeamish gore-aphobes should be OK, since there are way more LOLs than there are scares.
Recommended Level of Inebriation: Low
Whenever there are well-established tropes at the centre of a movie, it takes a few minutes to suss out if it’s a ‘comedy’ like Scary Movie, or if it’s actually, y’know, funny. And there was no doubt which side this movie would fall on after my first guffaw in the opening minutes. But, as always with the funnies, imbibe cautiously for fear of snort-through-the-nose laughter potential.
Use of Your Streaming Subscription: Good
I’m not one for slasher films, which I enjoy all the ways Tucker & Dale vs. Evil pokes fun at the genre (but in a laughing-with-you-not-at-you fashion). So come for the two stellar leads, and stay for how this movie cleverly turns the tables on horror movie tropes.
