Tucker and Dale vs. Evil (Maple Pictures)
Rated R for bloody horror violence, language and brief nudity.
Starring Tyler Labine, Alan Tudyk, Katrina Bowden, Jesse Moss, Philip Granger, Brandon Jay McLaren, Christie Laing, Chelan Simmons, Travis Nelson, Alex Arsenault, Adam Beauchesne.
Written by Eli Craig and Morgan Jurgenson.
Directed by Eli Craig.
GRADE: B-
REVIEW:
I've never been a big fan of slasher movies, and I've been slightly amused at slasher spoofs or dark comedies at times, but not often. Tucker and Dale vs. Evil is more of the latter, and goes where other so-called "slasher" comedies have failed.
Dale (Tyler Labine) and his buddy Tucker (Alan Tudyk) are a couple of good-natured hillbillies who want nothing more than to get away from it all at Tucker's vacation home in woods. Before they get there, the boys meet a group of stupid college kids who are also headed out to the woods for a little spring-break-like debauchery. When Allison (Katrina Bowden), one of the extremely hot girls falls into a swamp and hits her head, Dale and Tucker save her from drowning and take her back to their cabin. One of the college kids sees Tucker and Dale lifting Allison's limp body into their boat and thinks the men are a couple of killers preying on pretty girls in the forest.
The stupid college kids jump to conclusions (most likely because they've seen too many "hillbilly with chainsaw" movies) and vow to save their friend from the murderous yokels. As the kids attempt to defeat the stereotypes, they accidentally knock each other off through a series of gory mishaps.
As Allison recovers in Tucker and Dale's cabin, she discovers they aren't bad guys at all, and the trio form a friendship - with even more romantic possibilities for Dale and Allison.
The story reaches its conclusion as Allison tries to diffuse the tense situation, but can't overcome the preconceptions of her stupid friends. Tucker and Dale must save Allison from her friends, while avoiding a gory death themselves.
Tucker and Dale vs. Evil is a funny movie with a clever premise, and provides a few laughs regarding hillbilly stereotypes and stupid attractive people that have been pounded into our psyches by countless slasher movies. The twist of making the hillbillies the victims of young adult stupidity works in the first act, even though it fizzles in its execution by the end of the movie, sort of like a Scooby-Do episode. The performances are noteworthy, especially Tyler Labine and Alan Tudyk as the decent fellows who can't quite escape preconceived notions.
Tucker and Dale vs. Evil is actually a Canadian film that was given a limited release last year, but got such favorable reviews that it will get a wider release this weekend.
It may lack star power, but Tucker and Dale vs. Evil is clever enough keep most people's interest, even if they don't like slasher movies.
The movie is definitely rated R with plenty of gore, although it's more of a "comic gore."
*Tucker and Dale vs. Evil will open at the Tower Theater this weekend.
