Herpumpkin

I felt "Drive" was a great western. I would like to think the director chose L.A. for the setting because of its literal geographical location.

I felt that I needed to reinstitute the current score this film has received, a much deserved 8 out of 10, because I feel I had just watched an 8 out of 10 movie. It was mostly subtle, oftentimes graphic, but when a film like "Drive" is shown alongside the dime-a-dozen products the Hollywood Machine is grinding out, it should be respected.

I'm not going to persuade you to like it. There are some viewers who can read images the way the director has written with his camera, others cannot. No review can change the aforementioned. Some notice the Goodwill Billboard above Gosling's character when he puts on his mask and connects the two images as more than coincidence. Some may not. Some may notice a small hole in the wall, where a family picture might have been, in between Gosling's character and Mulligan's. Some may not have picked up on the significance of this hole.

My point is, this movie isn't for everyone. I don't mean to read as pretentious, but again, this movie isn't meant to be enjoyed as much as it's meant to be observed. Simple as that. If you're an impatient movie viewer, "Drive" is not for you.

How many times do we go out of our way to avoid "that type of person"? Whether that "type" is someone we feel is threatening, dangerous, or just somebody we think would just ruin our day? I know I have.

I'm not proud to admit it, but I've often created entire lives for people from just one glance, and assured myself that my imagination has threaded their personalities to a tee. So much so, that I feel satisfied not even confirming my suspicions; affirmations become by products of my delusions. Sometimes, I won't even allow myself the possibility of surprise. All from just a glance.

Tucker and Dale Vs. Evil is a horror movie at a glance, but given the opportunity, it may surprise its viewers, revealing itself as a heartfelt fable at its hill-billy core. In this film, the horror genre is more of a paradigm, used to tell a deeper and more insightful tale compared to most contemporary horror films.

Like most horror films nowadays, it begins with a young cast of teenagers, en route to escape the civilized world and embark on a camping trip filled with sex, drugs, and everything else college kids are expected to do. All of the token victims are present, accounted for, (the alpha male, the one black kid, the ditsy blonde with big boobs etc.) and seemingly placed upon the slab, practically begging a villain for killin'.

Then, there's Tucker and Dale.

The innocent group of college kids immediately type-cast the duo as two lunatic hillbillies straight out of a horror movie, poisoned from dime-a-dozen Hollywood clichés! They're instantly threatened by the pair and agree to stay far away from them through the remainder of their vacation.

Meanwhile, there's Tucker and Dale.

Tucker and Dale would like nothing better to do then fix up their new vacation home, which happens to look like it came from the set of an Evil Dead remake. The two characters are good ol' boys, a bit cliché, again at a glance, but have the tendency to grow on the viewer quicker than one can pop the top of a Pabst Blue Ribbon. Tucker is the grounded center of the two and the voice of reason, leaving Dale as the lovable comic relief.

I have to say, Tyler Labine as Dale really steals the show. His portrayal of the moronic oaf constantly reminds the viewer that amongst all the blood and guts, this film has a big soft gooey heart on the inside. His character is the medium that best delivers all the sincerity of this film home, and another quality that sets this movie apart from the rest.

Honorable mention goes to, of course, Alan Tudyk, a very underrated "hey, it's that guy" actor. His comedic delivery was never in question, personally, however. Don't agree? Check out "Death at a Funeral" and not the one with Chris Rock! The original! "Death at a Funeral" has Alan Tudyk constantly delivering comedic blows.

Things really begin to turn a darker corner when Tucker and Dale rescue one of the college kids from nearly drowning. As Tucker and Dale are merely trying to do the right thing, the rest of the collegians think that the two hillbillies are kidnapping their friend, because that's what hillbillies do right? Kidnap young girls, take them back to shady cabins in the middle of nowhere, and skin them alive! Right?

"Tucker and Dale Vs. Evil" succeeds in addressing a major concern in modern America, miscommunication! Personally, I really felt as if Eli Craig, the director and co-writer, was commenting on our fears and our lethargy, as Americans, concerning how we perceive "strangers" or people we do not know. According to Craig, and I would have to agree, we would rather allow our imaginations and context misrepresent "strangers" than assemble the responsibility required to get to know them. It's just easier to dismiss "them" as simply someone that is similar to somebody we have met in the past or somebody we do would not have pleasure in knowing.

There's a conversation in the beginning of the movie between two characters about the owners of a dirty pick-up (who happen to be Tucker and Dale). One character says, commenting on the vehicle, "We're in hillbilly country, now, boys! Squeal like a pig! Sooo-weeee!"

In response to this statement, a young girl says, "Chad, just because they're not in your fraternity doesn't mean their freaks".

"Well, actually it does Allison," says Chad. "You're either Omega Beta or your a freak".

I think that exchange sums up the series of misunderstanding that plagues the group of college students during the entire film. The college characters were quick to assume and judge based upon surface details. I feel that Eli Craig was cautioning those who are quick to make snappy assumptions based upon only what the eye can see.

Whether or not "Tucker and Dale Vs. Evil" will teach you the significance of getting to know you're fellow man, it will certainly entertain. The film is a blast from fade in to fade out and full of fun, to boot. I highly recommend this title for anyone wanting a break from your typical horror movie slasher.

"Tucker and Dale Vs. Evil" certainly spins a healthy alternative to the excessively worn Slasher sub-genre of horror and even leaves something for the audience to critically think about after the credits roll.

Believe it or not, there is even evidence of Rom-Com formula in this movie, so it is definitely couple approved. Now when was the last time a horror movie had all of the above? For all of my fellow gore-hounds, don't expect any Fulci or Jackson splatter, not even on the levels of "Shaun of the Dead". This film is tame by those standards, but the "money-shots" do exist. Woodchipper = Awesome!

For a film that mainly revolves around a cast of three to carry the movie, seven stars can seem like seventeen. What makes this film work is the realism. Every choice, every consequence, everything! Like a movie studio trying to emulate the moments before a car accident, then its aftermath.

I'm not one of these reviewers that will take you through the entire plot of the film. Especially in this case. This film's simplicity works. Three skiers accidentally get forgotten on a ski lift as the resort closes for the week.

That's it! Yet, this simple formula works better than any horror movie I have seen in a long, LONG time! This opinion may be a little biased and I'll tell you why. Personally, I am petrified of open heights. Adam Green's chosen camera placements are well picked, never once allowing any hints of fiction into the story. That's the beauty of shooting on location, despite how deadly the location can be.

Deadly, indeed! This movie really got under my skin. Not in anyway gore-filled, like "Hatchet" or its sequel. So for all the gore-hounds out there scanning the reviews for bloody details before watching it, make-up effects enthusiasts won't be completely disappointed, but it's no "Hatchtet". However, Adam Green focuses more on his Actor's/Actresses' reactions to the horrors within the film. This works! Lord, does it work! I'm a huge GOREHOUND, I welcome squeamish scenes, but the subtle incidents that happen to these characters while exposed to harsh weather works better than a graphic depiction of a chainsaw to the gut! I'm almost ashamed to admit that I had to turn away and groan at what I witnessed on screen! This is from someone who giggled like a girl-scout throughout "A Serbian Film"! "Frozen" works! In all the right ways! My only complaints about the film are the lack of themes. Usually a survival-horror like this contains some smug theme that ties the film together, a topic the film tries to make aware to its audience. Romero does the aforementioned flawlessly, just to provide one example. "Dawn of the Dead" and its issue of consumerism. For example, one would assume that being trapped with two other people in a situation like that, the throes of "cabin fever" would naturally work its way into the script. Yet, Adam Green chooses to focus on the reality of the situation his characters find themselves in. As a result, the film remains simple. Leaving the audience with no other thought to ponder upon besides their own feelings of fear. To some, this may be a compliment to the film, to others, a weak link.

The dialogue is probably the strongest device in the film. Revolving your film around only three characters, the script better be able to keep the dialogue interesting or your audience is going to give up on these characters. Adam Green's dialogue is just that, interesting. Realizing the situation the characters find themselves in, the conversations that follows feels significant, but above all genuine. Dialogue, outweighs the action, so be prepared for a lot of talking. However, when the action arrives it's like an avalanche; disastrous, yet magnetic. I was, literally, frozen, couldn't take my eyes off the screen.

I've said enough...

To reiterate a few points, I have to say, again, this film really shook me. After it was over I had a deeper appreciation for the bed I was watching it in. I also made a vow never, EVER to go skiing.