Movie Review: ‘TUCKER & DALE VS. EVIL’

Within the realm of horror exists a multitude of subgenres including but not limited to the slasher film, the zombie film, and the oh so popular vampire flick. Of these subcategories exists one that typically makes me cringe, the despicable “horror comedy.” Usually these films reside themselves to either being far too self aware and referencing other films, or they rely on bullshit T & A jokes that would make most people past the age of 13 groan. It was under these pretences that I went into a recent screening of the horror comedy Tucker and Dale vs. Evil.

After a highly entertaining, yet sparsely attended House by the Cemetery panel in the screening room at last weekend’s Horrorhound Indianapolis(which I will be posting a recap of later), the room began to fill up in anticipation of the film. Not since the 2009 Martyrs screening had I seen so many people clamor to see a film at this Midwestern event and this, along with recent good reviews helped to peak my interest. What I witnessed was a hilarious film that played very well to it’s target audience and left me happy I had stuck around.

The film follows Tucker and Dale, two redneck friends who have recently found their dream vacation home, a cabin in the woods that requires you dig your own shithouse! One consolation is that it has great fishing. It was on one of these fishing excursions that they stumble upon a college girl, Allison, getting ready to go in for a dip. After hearing stories about serial killer hillbillys loose in the woods, the college co ed panics, bumping her head and knocking herself unconscious. The duo saves Allison from drowning, and upon not being able to wave down her friends, take her back to their cabin to rest. Her friends who witness this event think their friend has been kidnapped by psychopaths and think they must rescue her at all costs. What results is the group of college kids going rogue on the cabin and through a series of accidents and mishaps, meet their demise in a number of hilarious ways. Once the hillbillies and Allison figure out that they are under attack, they must try to survive at all costs and figure out a way to convince their attackers that they are not the Deliverance knock offs that their would be assassins think them to be.

Ultimately what makes this film and other buddy comedy inspired horror films like Shaun of the Dead, Dead Heat, and I Sell the Dead succeed is that they make you care for the main characters. Tucker and Dale are just a couple of good ole boys that would just as soon drink a PBR and go fishing than go on an adventure and yet, when they are thrown into the insane situation that this story offers, they ultimately rise to the occasion. Tyler Labine who plays Dale and Alan Tudyk who plays Tucker are convincing in their roles and I hope to see this duo in future films.

I mentioned earlier that I am not a fan of most horror comedies. This is not due to me not liking the genre itself but rather because it is very hard to pull off and most filmmakers fail to capture the essence of both genres. The interplay between horror and comedy is a delicate balance and if the film is too funny, the horror becomes lost on the audience, and likewise, if too scary, the humor can become awkward. Tucker and Dale vs. Evil hits all the right marks as equal parts horror film and comedy. Eli Craig and Morgan Jurgenson should be applauded for their pitch perfect script and Eli Craig heralded for directing this film with perfect comedic timing. I can’t think of the last time I saw an audience roll in laughter over a guy falling into a wood chipper!

The version of this film that was screened for Horrorhound was a rough cut and therefore may not represent the final product as some of the special effects and cgi were not finished, however, this didn’t stop the audience from having a great time. I could imagine this film being picked up by someone like IFC films or Magnet films as it’s black humor might be a bit much for most mainstream audiences. Once it does get picked up, I highly recommend checking it out and I hope the gang at Horrorhound continue to bring up and coming films of this quality to the festival in future years.