Official synopsis: HOLD THE FORT follows Lucas and Jenny, who think their life is finally coming together when the couple become homeowners. Little do they know that their new house comes with a big catch. Lucas and Jenny soon find themselves in a fight for their lives when they become trapped in a battle between their Homeowners Association and an onslaught of monsters from hell. The horror-comedy takes the timely concern of home-ownership and wraps this up in an entertaining action-packed thrill ride.
Director William Bagley’s horror comedy Hold the Fort lets you know from its opening moments that it is going to lean more heavily into the funny than the frightening, and it does so with gusto. It’s a frantic, funny ride that horror comedy fans should thoroughly enjoy, and it is likely to resonate strongly with any viewers who have ever belonged to a homeowners association.
The ensemble cast members are all having a great time, led by Chris Mayers as Lucas and Haley Leary as Jenny, a married couple who has just moved into the neighborhood. Lucas is one of the biggest cowards ever committed to a horror comedy film, and that’s saying quite a lot. Mayers goes all in on the role. Leary’s Jenny is a freer spirit than her husband, and although she is more of a straight-person character, Leary gets plenty of opportunity to let her comedy chops shine, too. Julian Smith as HOA President Jerry, Levi Burdick and Michelle I Lamb as husband and wife Ted and Annette, and Hamid-Reza Benjamin Thompson as expert monster battler McScruffy are among the terrific supporting players.
The supernatural invaders on hand may be played mostly for laughs, but the havoc that they raise is gruesome, plentiful, and impressively rendered. Both practical effects and CGI look solid. I won’t spoil the types of creatures that the homeowners must battle, but suffice it to say that there is a variety of them.
The screenplay from cowriters Bagley and Scott Hawkins plays with tropes while delivering a good share of originality. Bagley directs with aplomb, crafting an entertaining romp filled with bloodshed and belly laughs in Hold the Fort.
Hold the Fort screens as part of Fantasia 2025, which takes place from July 16–August 3 in Montreal, Quebec, Canada.
