Before we begin this race I want to give a shout-out to whoever came up with the name OBSTACLE CORPSE. It's such is a clever pun that accurately describes this film. This is one of the most violent indie horror films I've watched recently. It's sort of like, "Hunger Games" by way of Troma. In OBSTACLE CORPSE we follow a large group people as they complete in the world's most terrifying obstacle course.
That's description is a bit of a stretch, and I'll tell you why in a bit. In the movie we are introduced to Sunny, who signs up to compete in the obstacle course along with her best friend. After signing all the wavers and meeting the other contestants, the deadly games begin. As you would imagine, the obstacle course becomes a battleground, as friends fight with friends, and family members begin to turn on each other. All in the name of making it to the finish line.
This is the aspect of OBSTACLE CORPSE that stuck with me the most. It's a reflection of what the human race is capable of. I don't think there's anything scarier than that. The opening scene in OBSTACLE CORPSE is probably my favorite, because it has a "Charlie Brown" type of moment that made me laugh out loud. This particular bit was a great way to open the film, and perfectly sets up what you're about witness going further into it.
OBSTACLE CORPSE is the debut feature film from writer/director Hope Madden. Madden has previously directed some short films in the past, and if this film is any indicator of what Hope is capable of, we're in for a real treat. OBSTACLE CORPSE is a fun movie. On the surface, it's a well crafted horror comedy in the vein of TUCKER AND DALE VS EVIL. If you look a little closer, you'll see that OBSTACLE CORPSE has a lot to say about the tribal nature of human beings. There's subtext here, and it's the kind of subtext that George Romero touched on in his "Dead" movies. It doesn't help that the group behind the course itself feels like a cult. People actually compete in events like this, so it kind of makes you wonder. Speaking of which, let's talk about the obstacle course itself.
Based on the description, I was expecting the courses to be very dangerous. Like something you would see in a SAW movie. That's not the case here. It's less like SAW and a little more like Stone Cold Steve Austin's BROKEN SKULL CHALLENGE (and that's the bottom line). The obstacle course is what you would expect to see at a summer camp. Then again OBSTACLE CORPSE feels sort of like a FRIDAY THE 13TH movie, just without the camp grounds and obnoxiously horny teenagers. And don't get me wrong, some parts of the course are dangerous. Most of the violence however comes from the participants themselves. Human beings will fight tooth and nail to cross the finish line, so go figure people will go out of their way to try and eliminate the competition. Playing dirty to be number one is the American way.
OBSTACLE CORPSE is a borderline slasher film with a terrific cast of characters. There's some standout performances here from Sylvie Mix, Tarik Woods, Gareth Tidball and Donovan Riley Wolfington. That's not to discredit all the other actors in the film, because everyone does a terrific job with their performances. 90% of the movie takes place outdoors, so I have a lot of respect for the actors having to endure these types of working conditions. The characters competing in the race are sort of an odd bunch. There's one character inOBSTACLE CORPSE that's sets himself apart from the rest of the group. Seemingly for the fun of it all. It's one of those horror tropes that I admire quite a bit.
The biggest complaint I have with OBSTACLE CORPSE is that there's never any tension or suspense. While it's not a gory movie, there is a high body count with plenty of stabbings a and an impressive amount of blood. These death scenes don't have much shock value, and I think some of that has to do with the lack of music. So many of the death scenes are oddly quiet; minus all the screaming anyway. The movie leans heavily on the comedy anyway, so that wasn't much of a deal breaker me.
With OBSTACLE CORPSE, you're just along for the ride. While the obstacles themselves are a bit of a letdown, there's plenty of character development to keep you focused and interested. I did enjoy my time with the movie, so I recommend checking it out once it becomes available to the public. If you're into horror comedies like TUCKER AND DALE VS EVIL, then OBSTACLE CORPSE is an experience worth signing up for.
