Film: Easter Bunny Kill! Kill!
UK Release date: 22nd August 2011
Year: 2006
Certificate: 18
Running time: 90 mins
Director: Chad Ferrin
Starring: Timothy Muskatel, Ricardo Grey, Charlotte Marie, Trent Haaga, David Z. Stamp, Wolf Dangler
Genre: Horror
Format: DVD
Country: USA
Unspeakable (2000) was Chad Ferrin's first twisted feature. Shot for $20,000, it was released by Troma, and after moderate success he went on to write, produce and direct The Ghouls, a no-budget horror opus shot for considerably less. A segment of the film Tales from the Crapper (2004), a direct-to-DVD effort starring Ron Jeremy followed, but having been granted a release date finally in the UK this month, it’s his next outing, Easter Bunny, Kill! Kill! that demands our attention, and hopefully showcases Ferrin's undeniable talents. Can it really be as good as its title suggests?
Remington, a murderous looter, cons his way into a mother’s heart, putting on a fatherly façade to her cherished son, Nicholas. But the second she leaves for work, a torrent of abuse rains down on the gentle boy.
Remington heads out for some hookers and invites his dilettante-child molester-drug-dealer buddy over to abuse Nicholas, whose only comfort is in confiding with his new pet bunny.
When Nicholas is nowhere to be found, someone wearing the mask of the beloved holiday hopper shows up ready to deliver a blood-splattered night of unspeakable terror – is anybody safe from a rampaging rabbit on the hunt for more than just eggs…
He Said: Are you ready to swim in a sea of depravity? With its blend of twisted humour and gross-out visuals, Ferrin’s movie may test the tolerance of many viewers (who, let's face it, with such an insane title, won't be watching anyway) but it does at least offer some entertainment, especially in the latter stages when an over-talky first hour is forgotten thanks to some obnoxious characters being dispatched in the most brutal way possible.
She said: Putting the bunny back in the box is out of the question, especially when it comes equipped with a range of weapons that would put even Batman to shame. Hammers, drills, guns, flashlights and cleansing products - no household item is safe from barbaric bunnies with murder in mind. The rest of the characters don’t fair too well either, but we wont lose any sleep over that, Easter Bunny’s cast list reads like a State Prison football team. Spanish burglars, titillating prostitutes and drug pushing paedophiles don’t exactly evoke sympathy, so there’s a good chance you’ll be rooting for Roger all the way.
He said: The strangely affectionate Remington, played with such panache by Timothy Muskatel, is the star of the show, although Charlotte Marie almost steals it with a pair of noteworthy showstoppers, distracting the viewer from the typically threadbare plot, relying on stereotypes to tells its weak story before settling on a final twist that won't surprise many, but at least gives the chain of events more than just shackles that would otherwise tie it down even further.
She said: If you’re only in it for the carnage you’re in for an agonising wait. Ferrin’s fifth feature is slower out the blocks than a talented tortoise, and it’s not until the final act that the screen turns a sinister shade of red. The first act is surprisingly effective, performances are stronger than you might expect from a low budget horror movie, and the bunny’s bonnet is choc-full of twisted humour and worthwhile exchanges. The second act drags its heels like a hare in need of a hose down.
He said: It will probably never be confused with a classic. The characters act like morons, the dialogue they spit out is suitably inane (“was he born special or was there some kind of accident” is one of the finest), and a script so pedestrian for the most part slaps together its elements in a less-than-thrilling manner; it’s ninety minute running time feeling almost as bloated as pigging down three chocolate eggs and their scrumptious fillings.
She said: It’s not until David Z. Stamp’s Ray Mann arrives on the scene that events take a turn for the clinically depraved. His drug dealing child molester is genuinely creepy, even if his ‘pocket full of goodies’ aren’t afforded the screen time they truly deserve. It’s Timothy Muskatell’s Remington that holds the film together though, and despite the despicable nature of his character, there’s something oddly affecting about his performance - he comes on like a cross between Ron Jeremy and Joe Spinell’s Maniac.
He said: Truth be told, it’s better than it should be. The production values are pretty good for a low-budget affair, with some slick editing working effectively with every kill, and considering the flimsiness of the script, Ferrin gets some very good performances from his main cast – even if Ricardo Grey’s Nicholas is too much to bear (most notably when he dances to his father’s favourite song) and the equally annoying Jorge (Jose I. Lopez), who quite frankly demands a brutal exit.
She said: Chad Ferrin knows how to deliver an entertaining set piece, and from here on in Easter Bunny, Kill! Kill! comes alive with the sound of screaming. Ferrin nails it - quite literally in fact - and the last half hour is choc-full of milky goodness and tasty treats. For some inexplicable reason I didn’t see the ending coming, which is rare in this day and age, and all the more obvious when I choose to reflect. That said, the warped final reel smacks of family sitcom, not to mention the promise of a sequel or two.
He said: It’s perfect fodder for a trash-horror fest, with its titillating hookers in glorious close-ups, a sublime scene when prostitute Candy goes searching for a broom to mop up the mess, some brutal toolbox murders akin to Hooper’s classic, and even a wildly happy, completely out of place, emotional ending reminiscent to a Nicholas Sparks novel – just make sure you don’t run out of tissue paper…
She said: Raw, uncompromising and darkly comic, Easter Bunny, Kill! Kill! ends on a high note - buoyantly bouncing away with my will. It sure takes its time to get there, but clearly this bunny has learnt a thing or two - Chad Ferrin’s gut-punching gore fest stands out as a low budget horror movie worth its weight in gold-en foil.
He said: Handling the gory action with flair, while adding solid performances and darkly comic humour, Ferrin’s Easter Bunny, Kill! Kill! isn’t substantial enough in story-telling to be a classic, but it is an effective combination of ridiculous stereotypes and raw bloodshed - an Easter delight that shouldn’t be hidden.
No comments:
Post a Comment