Here it comes boils n’ ghouls; the latest arcane anthology to come a stormin’ into our beloved horror biz; Hellarious! Let’s see what this fright flick has to offer us horror hounds, shall we?
Well I can tell you one thing it doesn’t offer, and that’s a wrap-around segment…
Chapter One weaves the yarn of a small gaggle of grocery store employees closing up shop for the night. After leaving her charges in order to use the ter-let, the store manager returns to find some of her peers stark raving bonkers after enduring some unknown trauma or another… and trust me, when revealed the answer is as satisfyingly ludicrous as one could expect
Comprised of a fun script (well acted) that takes the piss out of creature features, while presenting a unique twist on the genre as well, our first story sets the bar very high for the rest of the terror tales in this thing…
Chapter Two brings us the story of ye olde trailer trash and his encounter with (and dimwitted attempts to remove) a particularly nasty chupacabra from his life.
Filled with some solid funny bits, some nice practical gore and creature effects, and a “to the point” narrative, the winning streak presented by the film rolls on…
In Chapter 3, a gaggle of hen-pecked hubbies get the bright idea to kill their wives, but those dead dames don’t stay down thanks to an ancient curse.
Full of dark humor, some genuine laughs, and an escalating series of ridiculous events that manage to present a unique (there’s that wicked word again) narrative that is a ton of fun to watch unfold.
That brings us to Chapter 4 which features a hell-acious tale of a demonic guitar and the rocker who uses it to bring absolute carnage to all that are unfortunate enough to get in his way.
Ultra-gory and side-splitting to boot, this is yet another strong entry among the short films presented here… I’m beginning to sense a trend… now, can ya bring it on home with the remaining entries movie?
Chapter 5 features a duo of daffy lunch ladies that are pushed too far by the bullying-ways of the schools star cheerleader, which causes them to become murderers all in the name of Johnny Depp. Popular “Meat” pies ensue.
Just from that sinister synopsis up yonder you can tell this tale is an off-beat winner… it’s also well acted, full of garish comic book color, and buckets of good ol’ gore!
Next, in Chapter 6, a woman steps out for the night leaving her pet dog at home… a dog that transforms into a dude as soon as she leaves. Their paths soon cross with surreal results.
This one, while well-made, was my least favorite of the bunch (Chapters 1, 4, and 5 are the strongest st this point if you are keeping score at home). It is by no means bad, it just didn’t tickle me old fancy as much as the rest…
Chapter 7 features a woman about to give birth deep in the heart of satanic cult country. A late arriving member of that creepy cult arrives and interrupts the ceremony to hilarious effect.
This is a breezy entry with a few good gags, and all in all is fine way to end this bizarr-o journey into the horror biz!
Pound for pound, Hellarious is a fangtastically fun romp through some entertainingly divergent, and off-the-wall sinister shorts, and I say to you coffin crew, don’t sleep on this one, ya dig?
Hellarious can be ordered right here!
