Okay, okay, Papap, I'm sorry, I'll get to it before this is all over, I promise. Here's the thing: My last year in highschool a bunch of buddies of mine were fresh off of an obsession with The Evil Dead Trilogy when a Bubba Ho-tep came out. On the basis of Bruce Campbell playing Elvis we bought tickets and we ended up absolutely loving the movie. We walked out of the theater feeling completely fulfilled, satisfied, exhilarated, etc. So when I first saw a trailer for John I thought, "Awesome, I loved Bubba Hotep!" and then it came out and I read a rather disgusted post by a filmmaker friend, Damon Packard. He really disliked the film, said that Coscarelli has lost it, and though I've always been one to eschew critical reviews (sue me) it definitely made me think twice and ultimately I missed it in theaters.
So finally I have a chance to see what was so bad about it. Is it cheesy? Sure. Is it believable? Hell no. It's utterly ridiculous. Completely, maniacally, insanely ridiculous. That's why it's probably one of the better movies I've seen since I started this little jaunt. This is a film who's pure intention is worn on it's sleeve. It doesn't wax philosophy, but it also doesn't distract from life. It's a satire of great form. Is it shot as well as some of Coscarelli's previous efforts? I can't say, I've only seen one, but I thought it was put together quite well considering obvious budgetary constraints. I applaud it for the mere fact that they used practical creature effects, not to mention for the first time, at least for me, I got to see a performance from Doug Jones out of make up!
So what's the damn story about? It's about a strange drug, Soy Sauce, that is most definitely some insane living bacterial creature that allows human beings access to alternate dimensions as well as see manifestations from the afterlife. It's never quite clear if these manifestations are hallucinations or reality, but they certainly seem real enough to the protagonist and vicariously to the viewer. Best friends David and John get pulled into some struggle in which a crazy ultimate being from another dimension is seeking to take over other dimensions of Earth and the only way to stop it is to toss a bomb on it that is packed with a hallucinatory substance that will "Fuck it's shit up."
Do I still have your attention? I love how the film rationalizes the irrational by accepting the fact that there is no rationality. It's not trying to shove some new idea down everyone's throat. It simply is what it is. I don't generally like to refer to movies as rides, but I definitely understand that some movies are meant to just play off of our more visceral needs and give us an escape from the mundanity of human existence. What I like about this film is that it does that while still poking fun at those little things that we take so seriously, but which are ultimately banal. Things like having to help that crazy friend who's blowing something out of proportion, but you help them anyway even though you're annoyed as hell that you have to do it and you know you're going to give them shit for life. John does this and then throws creepy demonic monsters and spores from another dimension into the mix as that "thing" that your friend is blowing out of proportion.
Sometimes, after a long day you just want a movie to be fun and different. John Dies At The End is that and maybe a little bit more. The cast worked off of each other remarkably and you never quite feel like they're just actors playing dress up. There was a chemistry on screen that is only visible in great films. The only thing that's keeping me from giving it a 5 skull rating is the fact that I felt like the second half of the film rushed forward without the real threat to rush it forward. My room mate owns the book it's based on. I'll have to give it a read.
4 out of 5 Skulls.
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