A horror movie fanatic and a handful of serial killers walk into a bar. It sounds like the start of some bad joke; however, it's actually the charming premise for Shudder's Vicious Fun. Set in the '80s, horror journalist Joel accidentally winds up in a serial killer support group, leading to a thrilling night where he must blend in with his deadly surroundings or become a victim.
The '80s time period fits Vicious Fun's premise on multiple fronts. The film, thankfully, does not rely heavily on pop culture references. Instead, the time period acts more like set dressing, paying homage to a decade that's well known for its countless slasher films and unbeatable killers. Cinematographer Jeff Maher uses the '80s neon aesthetic to its fullest, delivering a vibrant movie that even surpasses the film's entertaining premise. Steph Copeland's synth-based score for Vicious Fun brings edgy sci-fi vibes and nails the playful tone.
Vicious Fun's technical aspects are its strong suit because they commit fully to the premise; however, that can't be said for other parts of the film. For instance, Vicious Fun introduces several killers, and they all fit into a trope or hybrid of tropes seen in horror films -- from a twisted clown to a classy cannibal to a Michael Myers/Jason Voorhees knock-off. Their performances are good, especially Robert Maillet who would make an excellent slasher in a more traditional horror movie, but, there is not enough screen time to let these actors truly shine and play with the archetypes they're given.
Meanwhile, Ari Millen, who portrays Bob -- a clear spoof of Patrick Bateman from American Psycho -- is the primary antagonist, so he has plenty of time to chew the scenery and that's exactly what Vicious Fun needs. The filmmakers and actors obviously love the horror genre and wanted to have fun with it, and that's best seen with Bob, who embraces the gross extravagance of the '80s yet proves to be a surprisingly brilliant threat. Seeing how far Bob could go makes us want to see the other killers get more chances to revel in their bloodlust.
Then there's Joel, a solid self-insert character; however, he bounces between being that and being another satirical character. When actor Evan Mark is purely the straight man, he excels and helps elevate the absurdity of his situation. It's a shame this isn't primarily his role because those are his strongest comedic moments. Alongside him is Carrie (Amber Goldfarb), and like the other killers, there is so much to explore with her. It's great that she gets plenty more screen time than the other murderers, but her story, character, and performance beg for her to either become the protagonist or receive a spinoff of her own.
When it comes to a movie called Vicious Fun, one may expect there to be a bloodbath with unique and memorable kills. Yet, the deaths here are mostly standard. This is all the more obvious because not all of the killers are used to their full potential. However, it still feels like the cast and crew had fun with it, so one isn't as disappointed as they are left wondering what the movie could have achieved if it found a better balance with on-screen character time or even a higher kill ratio for its famed slashers.
With so many films and shows relying heavily on fun '80s vibes and nostalgia, Vicious Fun really needed to stand out amongst everything that came before. It comes close but needed an extra push. Vicious Fun seems to know that too because by the end it feels like this story is just getting started. At the end of the day, this feels like a love letter to this time period of horror, and for those who grew up with the movies that inspired Vicious Fun, it may just remind them of all the potential this genre has for a bloody good time.
Directed and co-written by Cody Calahan, Vicious Fun stars Evan Marsh, Amber Goldfarb, Ari Millen, Julian Richings, Robert Maillet, Sean Baek, David Koechner, Alexa Rose Steele, Mark Gibson, Kristopher Bowman and John Fray, and it premieres on Shudder June 29, 2021.