A trip to unknown Southern territory goes to hell when a group of partying college students cross paths with a pair of suspicious hillbillies.
Although a seemingly cliché plotline, the story takes a refreshingly entertaining turn when it takes a new approach to a tired concept: What if the hillbillies were actually generally decent people that get involved in the middle of a huge, deadly misunderstanding?
This joke is what drives the new parody film Tucker and Dale vs. Evil.
Tucker (Alan Tudyk) and Dale (Tyler Labine) are two lifelong friends that pull enough money together to purchase a rundown house in the middle of some undisclosed woods. Hoping to do nothing more than sit around fishing and drinking beer all day, these two simplistic but well-meaning men believe their problems are behind them. That is, until they run into a group of confused college students. The group leader Chad believes that these two men are evil deranged psychopaths, resulting in a series of accidents and misunderstandings for both parties.
In a genre that, save for the films featuring Nick Frost and Simon Pegg, is rather dead, Tucker and Dale vs. Evil is a surprisingly hilarious horror-comedy parody. Much like Shaun of the Dead before it, the film manages to take two different genres that are both equally stranded and exhausted and makes them vibrantly original.
As in the original Scream, this horror-comedy is able to succeed due to its hilariously smart commentary and portrayal of horror film clichés and stereotypes. Thanks to the clever script by Morgan Jurgenson and director Eli Craig, the film succeeds in knowing the inner workings of horror films, but unlike a majority of parody films today, it still allows the characters and their motivations to drive the narrative.
In his directorial debut, Craig shows a lot of promise for great things to come. An amateur but usually confident, he knows how to keep his fanboy sensibilities and story in check, therefore creating a competently made wink at one of his favorite genres.
What makes the film truly unique and memorable is the surprising amount of heart that is brought in as well. Thanks to the great performances and chemistry between Labine and Tudyk, Tucker and Dale vs. Evil has a strong amount of personality and heart.
What could have been flat one-note characters is surprisingly engaging as the audience witnesses these two try to comprehend the craziness that goes on around them. Even when the film gets serious, their performances and the great writing is still able to captivate the audience. Additionally, the film does give strong, but unforced, messages about first judgments and self-acceptance.
The film isn’t without its shortcomings. At times, especially towards the beginning, the humor feels too forced for its own good. Later on, Craig’s inexperience, along with the film’s low budget, can definitely be found in several scenes.
Along with this, the film has a weak third act. Even at only 89 minutes long, the film’s premise does seem to grow a bit tired.
However, in a time where good parody films have become a rarity, Tucker and Dale vs. Evil becomes an extremely entertaining, hilarious, original and surprisingly heartfelt boost to two dying genres.
4 out of 5 stars.
