Whist not quite achieving complete perfection, 'Tucker and Dale Vs Evil' is about is good as it gets from the horror comedy sub-genre. This unique take on the slasher in the woods trope is one of the finest examples of how to take an already well established concept and masterfully turn it on its head. The casting of Tucker and Dale, played by Alan Tudyk and Tyler Labine, is without fault. The back and forth comedic dynamic between the two is so effortless and the almost father and son like relationship dynamic between the two is genuinely heartwarming to watch. You get a true sense of how great the chemistry of these two actors is, both on and off screen when watching them perform. Other noteworthy performances come from Katrina Bowden as the Allison and Jesse Moss as Chad, although both of these actors heavily play up to their respected stereotypes, they play these characters very well. The rest of the teen cast are rather irrelevant, none of them have any form of character development and are there to die and that is it. Considering this film doesn't play out like most conventional slashers, it certainly doesn't hold back on the kill sequences. Whilst some of the gore and blood does feature some heavy use of CGI that hasn't aged well, they still hold up for the most part. Having such a unique take on its narrative provides the opportunity to get creative with the way these teens are taken out, something this film takes full advantage of, with the wood chipper death being the standout. Another of my favourites is the nail through the head of the police officer, this is something so subtly set up right from the start and continuously hinted at throughout, before giving us a very satisfying payoff. The coincidental story telling aspect of this script is nothing short of genius. Giving us insight into both sides of this misunderstood situation, resulting in both groups of characters falling deeper and deeper into a situation so easily resolved with a simple conversation. The one and only issue I take with this film is how unnecessary I found the backstory of the 'Hillbilly Massacre', and its ultimate connection to Chad. I personally preferred the coincidental aspect of this story, something I feel the Chad storyline slightly undercut this in the closing act. Although I wasn't particularly fond of the closing act, it is only a minor gripe with an undoubtedly nigh-on-flawless horror comedy. Just like 'Shaun of the Dead', this is about as good as it gets for this subgenre and is a regular rewatch for me. 'Tucker and Dave vs Evil' is an underrated gem and if you are yet to watch, you should certainly seek this out as soon as you can, you won't regret it.
💀💀💀💀1/2
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