One of the absolutely greatest things about film festivals is that they sometimes bring much-anticipated-yet-hard-to-sell movies to a theater near you.
This year, the International Horror and Sci-fi Film Festival ran concurrently with the Phoenix Film Festival, giving programers an opportunity to bring "Tucker and Dale vs Evil," a horror comedy that definitely falls in that aforementioned category, to Valley viewers.
And while this critic was slightly disappointed in the motion picture, much of said disappointment can likely be attributed as a mere side effect of more than a year of bated anticipation. All things considered, "Tucker and Dale vs Evil" is an exceptionally side-splitting comedy.
Alan Tudyk and Tyler Labine star as Tucker and Dale, respectively, a pair of unsuspecting backwoods buddies who are excited to finally enjoy their "vacation home" - a dilapidated cabin. However, when a group of spring breakers judge a book by its cover, things get killer complicated.
Tucker and Dale simply want to save one of the teens (Katrina Bowden) from drowning in the lake. But the spring breakers only see a bearded psychopath hauling a one of their friends away. And in trying to rescue her, the spring breakers continually off themselves, leaving Tucker and Dale scratching their heads over the resulting chaos.
The first hour of "Tucker and Dale vs Evil" provides nonstop laughter, brilliantly tapping into the dark side of misunderstandings. Think of it as "Three's Company's" evil twin. Moreover, Tudyk and Labine play it perfectly straight, amplifying the authenticity of the comedy. Tudyk's performance, in particular, best portrays desperation and confusion.
Unfortunately, writer/director Eli Craig eventually takes this material seriously, downplaying the comedy in favor of legitimate thrills. The final 30 minutes of "Tucker and Dale vs Evil" seem a bit misguided, leaving viewers who were smitten with Craig's clever parody approach feeling more or less disappointed.
Still, "Tucker and Dale vs Evil" is an extraordinarily unique motion picture that deserves a wide release so that more moviegoers in the Valley - not to mention those across the country - can enjoy its wicked sense of humor. It will slay you with hysterics.
The 11th Annual Phoenix Film Festival takes place March 31-April 7 at Harkins Scottsdale 101, 7000 E. Mayo Blvd. Tickets, which range in price from $10 for a single screening to $250 for a VIP package, are currently available on the Phoenix Film Festival Web site and will be also sold throughout the event at the Phoenix Film Festival Welcome Center next to Harkins Scottsdale 101.
Listen to Joseph J. Airdo's “Movie Maverick” segment every Friday morning during “The Daily Blender with Jeffry O'Brien,” 6-9 a.m. weekdays on NBC 1260 AM and 96.1 FM.
Comments