If you liked the 2016 horror comedy "Massacre on Aisle 12", then you'll probably also like 6:66 PM (2017) since both are done by pretty much the same filmmakers and cast. I, myself, not having seen and enjoyed the earlier film, had to venture into this newer one without such blessed assurance.
But I came through it okay, with no discernible or lasting ill effects, which is more than I can say for some horror comedies that I've had to endure.
This spoof of reality-TV "ghost hunter" shows benefits from an exuberant cast and a pretty wacky sense of humor. Both are somewhat unrefined for the most part, but the energy given off by this highly kinetic spookfest is sort of infectious.
Autumn Federici plays Lorraine, a down-on-her-luck TV producer so desperate for a hit that she makes her cast (director Jim Klock as fake ghost investigator "Daniel" and Alexis Kelley as fake psychic "Sheryl") and crew (producer and co-writer Chad Ridgely as lone cameraman "Peter") keep filming their new ghost-hunter pilot even when the spirit of the psychotic serial killer who died in the house that they're in (Scott Burkhardt as "Jimmy Timmy Beck") returns to resume his murderous ways where he left off.
There's more to the story, including the brother of one of Jimmy Timmy's victims (Michael Buonomo as "Emmett") terrorizing all involved in a twisted plot to get revenge by invoking the killer's spirit for his own purposes (it's a long story) via a supernatural ritual.
But is it funny? Well, let's just say 6:66 PM tries awful hard in its own blunt, mostly artless way, keeping us occupied by sheer frenetic action and giddy silliness between rare moments of actual wit and finesse.
Klock's direction is okay even though he stages much of the comedy simply by doing wide shots of everyone going bananas. The cast gets the job done, with Ridgely a standout as cowardly lensman Peter. Robin F. Baker plays Stan, the house's current owner whose plans of cashing in on its notoriety go woefully awry.
While there aren't that many genuine chills to be had, if any, the film manages a sort of Halloween spookhouse aura that's fun. There's a bit of pleasantly fake-looking gore as well, as some of the dead bodies reanimated by Jimmy Timmy's ghost require having their brains bashed in. Things do get pretty wild near the end as we're kept constantly wondering just who'll get killed and reanimated next.
6:66 PM isn't one of the best horror comedies you'll ever see, but it's just so doggoned unabashedly silly that I couldn't help having a fairly good time watching it. And it's definitely a nice change from the same old "dead teenagers" thing.
Tech Specs
Runtime: 82 minutes
Format: 1:78 HD
Sound: Dolby Sr.
Country: USA
Language: English
Website: www.IndicanPictures.com
Genre: Horror
Bonus: featurette, outtakes, producer/director commentary, trailers for "Massacre on Aisle 12" and other Indican releases
No comments:
Post a Comment