One of our favourite films of the 2020 festival season was The Oak Room, and now we get a double punch from director Cody Calahan with this fantastic ‘80s-set horror-comedy.
Joel (Evan Marsh) is a writer for horror magazine who has a crush on his roommate Sarah (Alexa Rose Steele). In a fit of jealousy, he follows her latest date in the hope of finding out some dirt on him. Unfortunately, he gets drunk and wakes in the neon-lit Chinese restaurant’s toilet and is drawn into what seems to be a support meeting. Thinking he can blag his way through it, things go south when it turns out that the members of the group are all serial killers.
One of the entertaining things about Vicious Fun is that when things get out of control, there’s always another ludicrous level it can go to. Horror fans will identify with Joel, someone who spends his time watching, thinking, and writing about horror films, but when faced with a genuinely gory scene, he loses his lunch. The action comes thick, fast, and very bloody from all the serial killer stereotypes that are presented here within this motley crew. There are great performances from Amber Goldfarb, Ari Millen, and the ever-reliable David Koechner (Cheap Thrills) that add to the fun and the zippy dialogue plays with the conventions to great effect. Steph Copeland’s retro-tinged synth score adds significantly to the enjoyment, subtle at times, but going full-on Carpenter when it needs to. Seriously, viciously fun, and a cult audience awaits.
VICIOUS FUN is available now on Shudder
