The Horror Show
Tucker and Dale vs. Evil (2010)
Directed by Eli Craig
Horror comedy is a hit and miss genre, or more accurately and sadly a miss-miss-miss-miss-possibly hit genre. And yet, in our current generation, when someone stitches these two should-be polarizing genres together like Frankenstein’s bipolar monster, the average avid horror enthusiast will automatically say “nay to that shit!” claiming that the Scary Movie’s and Killer Bong’s and Hansel and Gretel get Baked…es have ruined the subgenre (and yes, marijuana now seems to be a huge part of this subgenre because, you know, you need to be high to get any entertainment value out of its movies. Right?). Our current horror comedies are no match for the Evil Dead series, Rocky Horror Picture Show, Shaun of the Dead, which is ten years old now, and etcetera and so on. With the exception, and slight one at that, of Cabin in the Woods, it seems as if the genre has been lacking in the more recent years, especially in the indie department. However, that could not be farther from the truth, and this is all thanks to one little piece of splendid horror comedy gold that is guaranteed to trump the focus on the Scary Movie series among others as defining this generation as the death of quality horror comedy. Furthermore, we can now stop praising the few movies in the 80’s and early 90’s, and one or two in the early 00’s that held the “golden age” trophies of the subgenre.
Tucker and Dale vs. Evil is a movie by Eli Craig starring Tyler Labine as Dale and Alan Tudyk as Tucker. The movie premiered at Sundance Film Festival on January 22, 2010, winning the audience award, and it had a limited theatrical release while it was also shown throughout various festivals after its initial premiere. This was Eli Craig’s first feature length film, and according to his Wikipedia page, it took him 3 years to complete it. Knowing this after watching the film, makes every scene in it feel that much more genuine and special. Anyone can tell after watching the movie that he had an immense love towards what he was doing and what he wanted to portray through this hilarious and gore-satisfying journey.
And if none of my words about this film are read on the off-chance that most of you are too “busy” or lazy to read long things (like myself), the least you all can do is heed my words, these simple words of advice when you begin this “journey:” DO NOT turn it off during or shortly after the introduction and keep still. Keep watching. Just trust me.
Let me explain. The intro of this movie is, well, for lack of a better term, cliché, but it is a pretence to what reveals as something completely different later on. The movie starts out with a found footage sequence (I know, the originality is staggering), and then it goes straight into the credit sequence. Then, a sequence with a van full of annoying college kids on a road trip, smoking weed (guess the weed trope is going to stay, sigh). Within the first second of meeting these college characters (exactly at the half way point of that second to be exact) you want to see these college kids get killed, brutally. All the dudes are Douchey McDoogles, and the all the girls are Slutty Bumpkinsons with the exception of one who is obviously the heroine (yes, you may now use those terms to describe the trope-y death fodder in horror movies, I’ll allow it). And all of this, all of it, is a set up purposefully executed by the director/writer. Much like the more “Hollywood” Cabin in the Woods, we are introduced to the cliché characters and seeming-plot in the beginning to make it feel like we are in for another non-substantial teen horror flick. This is all before the shit hits the fan, when the later half of the film delightfully twists us. However, whereas Cabin in the Woods has us rooting for the college kids, Tucker and Dale vs. Evil has us rooting for more college kill-gore, rightfully so.
When the kids and audience first meet the protagonists, Tucker and Dale, we are led to believe these guys are tough, redneck stereotype killers. The college kids stop for gas at a gas station built for the likes of Texas Chainsaw Massacre, and that is where they first semi-formally meet Tucker and Dale, right after the two stared the kids down while driving side-by-side. Dale has the hots for one of the college girls and attempts to talk to the group while holding a scythe-looking tool, and he scares them away with his scary awkwardness.
And that is the whole movie in a very large nutshell, which cracks open into hilarious, misinformed shenanigans as the movie goes on. Tucker and Dale are two normal, sweet, misunderstood southern bumpkins looking to have fun at their recently bought vacation home in the middle of the woods, and the “evil” that they fight is more or less, ignorance. There are no demons, killers, or demon-killer bongs (thankfully) in this movie. Without spoiling anything serious, the kids keep thinking these loveable guys are serial killers, and so, to get the upper hand on them they try to kill them before they get killed. The kids are so moronic about their methods of attacking that they end up killing themselves accidentally, leading the other kids to think that Tucker and Dale killed them when they stumble upon the bodies. Along with the misunderstandings, like how Tucker and Dale bought a vacation home that obviously belonged to a serial killer prior, leading the kids to further believe they are serial killers (hanging human bones on the walls that Tucker and Dale shrug off as an archeologist thing), things just keep hilariously escalating for these poor guys as college kids just keep dying by their own incapable hands. A backstory is explained, and a lot of other twists and plot turns are introduced, but overall, the just of the story is: do not be an ignorant judging college kid or you will kill yourself and deeply stress out a pair of unsuspecting locals. Simple, yet exceptionally effective.
Actors Tyler Labine and Alan Tudyk carry this movie perfectly. Their comedic timing, chemistry, and adorableness are what make me scream, “Make a sequel Goddammit!” Hell, these two characters are so loveable I’d see them in a rom-com and be satisfied. Dale is the naïve teddy-bear-like little brother to the equally naïve but grounded leader, Tucker. A Lennie Small to a George Milton. Dale is constantly getting advice-hounded by Tucker throughout the film, on how to talk to girls, what to do if you are fishing in a lake and you see skinny dipping college girls, and about self-perseverance. Dale takes all of it, and listens, though not at the expense of his big ole southern heart, and through this, he becomes the main hero of the movie. Watching these two banter is comedy gold, and as the film progresses, their child-hood friendship slowly reveals itself to the audience through mere action solely, making the chemistry and growth and teamwork between them all the more heartwarming and awesome. There is a reason why it is called Tucker and Dale vs. Evil, not just College Kids vs. Ignorance. These two truly carry the film to greatness, to the greatness along the likes of Shaun and Ed in Shaun of the Dead, or Ash of Evil Dead. These two, along with this film in general, can stand amongst the greats.
I know that this film is not so new. I mean honestly, it has been four years since its inception. However, I don’t think it is getting all the hype and praise that its work deserves, and hoping for a smash-hit sequel or movie of the same genre by the same writer/director may take a while; another movie of this caliber with the resources this director had may never even get made again due to the years this one movie had taken up. So, for now, this is what we got, and it is nothing short of horror-comedic brilliance. It is a surprising and fresh entry in the indie horror film genre, and it can stand in the ranks along with the great, classic horror-comedies as well. Give it a watch, and after you love it, spread it to the ones who think great horror-comedy had died long ago. Don’t be ignorant. Fight off the stupid teenager, college kid, and adult ignorance. You don’t want to accidentally run into your own sharpened stake while a hulking southern man is trying to enjoy his vacation. That would be rude, and he may get really mad.
Spencer Collins, HMS
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