I was getting in a bit more of a writing mood here. I wasn't doing great getting reviews out though. Sometimes I think that the more I worry about, the less I want to write. If that makes sense. The last couple of weeks I haven't felt like writing at all, but it dtruck me to do so again today. I hope that is a good sign. Anyway, I'm still slightly out of the order that I like to review movies in, but I'm getting close to being back on track. It will depend on how quick Netflix sends my next DVD, which seems to be taking longer for some reason these days. While I'm waiting, I decided it was time to watch a Netflix instant watch film and I settled on Tucker And Dale vs Evil (2010). I have always heard good things about this movie, so it is about time I got around to watching it.
A group of college kids heads into West Virginia to camp out and have some fun. Along the way, they encounter Tucker (Alan Tudyk) and Dale (Tyler Labine). The college kids see them as backward hillbillies and seem to be afraid of the two. It doesn't help when Chad (Jesse Moss) tells his friends about a group much like themselves being murdered in the same area by hillbillies many years before. Tucker and Dale are heading to the same area to work on Tucker's fixer-upper vacation home. While they are fishing, they happen across the college kids skinny dipping. Tucker spots Allison (Katrina Bowden) stripping down near them but Dale gives them away. Allison slips and falls into the water and doesn't come back up. Allison's friends see Dale and Tucker trying to help her, but to them, it looks like they are trying to kidnap Allison. This sets off a chain of misunderstandings that get people killed.
Tucker And Dale vs Evil was co-written by Morgan Jurgenson and Eli Craig, who also directed. When I first heard of this movie, I had it in my head that it was about two ordinary guys fighting monsters. I'm not sure if it was the title alone that got that thought in my head or if I was just getting my movies mixed up. Either way, I was way off base. I did know going in that Tucker And Dale vs Evil was a comedy/horror. I also under the impression that it leaned more towards comedy, which it does more than slightly. This movie isn't scary, nor does it really try to be, but there is a lot of good bloody effects to be found. I was actually surprised by how balanced the story was between gore and comedy. The best thing about it is that the comedy was actually funny to me. I'm not always big on this type of film because they end up being a comedy that I just don't find all that funny. That was hardly the case here though. I think what worked so well was just how everything is a big misunderstanding...all the time! It really helped that we know what is going on the whole time. I thought that just made the misunderstandings even better. I laughed pretty hard at times, like when Tucker cuts into a beehive and takes off running with chainsaw revving and swinging around. To the college kids, it looks like he is coming after them in order to cut them up of course. I laughed a lot because if I didn't know any better, I would have thought the same as the college kids. As much as I enjoyed the comedy, I was a little disappointed with how it all ended. It wasn't enough for me to dislike the movie in general and I'm not sure what it was I was expecting from the ending. I think my biggest problem with it was that it just ended a bit too happy for me. I know that makes sense since this was more of a comedy film, but that is just how I am.
The effects are gory but not overly so. We get to see a couple of people get impaled. The bloodiest effect had to do with a wood chipper machine. This one could have been done in a much bloodier way, but it was still a very well done effect. The makeup towards the end for one of the characters was also very well done. The acting was also great, which one should expect when the comedy works well. I really liked Alan Tudyk as Tucker. He was my favorite out of the main three, but the story chooses to focus more on Tyler Labine and Katrina Bowden with their characters possibly falling in love. Not that I didn't enjoy their acting as well, but Alan Tudyk was just more to my liking.
I was actually rather surprised at how much I laughed during Tucker And Dale vs Evil. I did find that some of the jokes or situations didn't come across as funny to me, but overall I really enjoyed it and had a lot of fun with it all. It could have been slightly better than it was, but I have yet to find the perfect film. I can easily see why this movie has become a fan favorite. It has certainly become one of mine. I think there is enough types of comedy here that everyone should laugh at something. I don't know if that will be a good enough reason to enjoy the complete film. I'm easy with comedy films. If they make me laugh, even a little, I'm good with it. Tucker And Dale vs Evil is better than a good film though. If you haven't watched it yet, you really should give it a try.
4 out of 5 I sure I never get my fingers cut off
A group of college kids heads into West Virginia to camp out and have some fun. Along the way, they encounter Tucker (Alan Tudyk) and Dale (Tyler Labine). The college kids see them as backward hillbillies and seem to be afraid of the two. It doesn't help when Chad (Jesse Moss) tells his friends about a group much like themselves being murdered in the same area by hillbillies many years before. Tucker and Dale are heading to the same area to work on Tucker's fixer-upper vacation home. While they are fishing, they happen across the college kids skinny dipping. Tucker spots Allison (Katrina Bowden) stripping down near them but Dale gives them away. Allison slips and falls into the water and doesn't come back up. Allison's friends see Dale and Tucker trying to help her, but to them, it looks like they are trying to kidnap Allison. This sets off a chain of misunderstandings that get people killed.
Tucker And Dale vs Evil was co-written by Morgan Jurgenson and Eli Craig, who also directed. When I first heard of this movie, I had it in my head that it was about two ordinary guys fighting monsters. I'm not sure if it was the title alone that got that thought in my head or if I was just getting my movies mixed up. Either way, I was way off base. I did know going in that Tucker And Dale vs Evil was a comedy/horror. I also under the impression that it leaned more towards comedy, which it does more than slightly. This movie isn't scary, nor does it really try to be, but there is a lot of good bloody effects to be found. I was actually surprised by how balanced the story was between gore and comedy. The best thing about it is that the comedy was actually funny to me. I'm not always big on this type of film because they end up being a comedy that I just don't find all that funny. That was hardly the case here though. I think what worked so well was just how everything is a big misunderstanding...all the time! It really helped that we know what is going on the whole time. I thought that just made the misunderstandings even better. I laughed pretty hard at times, like when Tucker cuts into a beehive and takes off running with chainsaw revving and swinging around. To the college kids, it looks like he is coming after them in order to cut them up of course. I laughed a lot because if I didn't know any better, I would have thought the same as the college kids. As much as I enjoyed the comedy, I was a little disappointed with how it all ended. It wasn't enough for me to dislike the movie in general and I'm not sure what it was I was expecting from the ending. I think my biggest problem with it was that it just ended a bit too happy for me. I know that makes sense since this was more of a comedy film, but that is just how I am.
The effects are gory but not overly so. We get to see a couple of people get impaled. The bloodiest effect had to do with a wood chipper machine. This one could have been done in a much bloodier way, but it was still a very well done effect. The makeup towards the end for one of the characters was also very well done. The acting was also great, which one should expect when the comedy works well. I really liked Alan Tudyk as Tucker. He was my favorite out of the main three, but the story chooses to focus more on Tyler Labine and Katrina Bowden with their characters possibly falling in love. Not that I didn't enjoy their acting as well, but Alan Tudyk was just more to my liking.
I was actually rather surprised at how much I laughed during Tucker And Dale vs Evil. I did find that some of the jokes or situations didn't come across as funny to me, but overall I really enjoyed it and had a lot of fun with it all. It could have been slightly better than it was, but I have yet to find the perfect film. I can easily see why this movie has become a fan favorite. It has certainly become one of mine. I think there is enough types of comedy here that everyone should laugh at something. I don't know if that will be a good enough reason to enjoy the complete film. I'm easy with comedy films. If they make me laugh, even a little, I'm good with it. Tucker And Dale vs Evil is better than a good film though. If you haven't watched it yet, you really should give it a try.
4 out of 5 I sure I never get my fingers cut off
