From the moment I saw the trailer for Slice I knew that no matter the quality I'd have a fun time with it. I saw that it was released online today, and a friend and I had an hour and a half to kill between classes, so we gave it a watch. While I hoped for it to be better, I can't deny the fun I had watching this one.
The film takes place in a world where humans and ghosts coexist, with the occasional werewolf and witch. In a small town, a pizza delivery boy is murdered, leaving tensions between ghosts and humans high, and a lot of people asking questions. Some detectives, journalists, and people close to the case search for the truth, and the shady business behind it all.
Let me start by saying this movie is in no way for everyone. If you're a fan of old B-movies you will probably love it, however if you aren't you'll probably just find this to be stupid. The plot is over the top and director Austin Vesely does not shy away from the absurdity of it all. Surprisingly the film manages to have a pretty engaging mystery at the center of it all, there are predictable elements for sure but a lot of turns that make it hard to guess exactly where the story is going. The writing is also solid, with dialogue that teeters the line between hilarious and bad but due to the direction and capabilities of the actors hits the hilarious side of the spectrum. The effects are quite cheesy other than some surprisingly good ones here and there, but due to the style of the film it doesn't detract. I loved the score for this film, if I can find the soundtrack somewhere it will definitely be getting a download from me.
The acting in this film surprised me a bit. On paper the performances aren't impressive, but it's clear that everyone is hamming things up to fit the tone of the film and it works well. Chance the Rapper is surprisingly really good, and there were times I couldn't wait for him to come back on screen. Zazie Beetz brings a similar performance to what she did in Deadpool 2 and it once again worked really well, coming off as a perfect blend of funny and badass. Paul Scheer is also in the film, and he shows you exactly what kind of movie this is with his performance, hamming it up somehow even more than we usually see. Other standouts were Rae Gray as a young journalist, and Joe Keery from Stranger Things. Keery isn't in the film much but when he popped in he made me laugh almost every time.
Other than the obvious lack of high class production elements that leave this film feeling like a B-movie, I have some gripes. The horror element of the film is not played up enough. I think if the film was played up more like an old school slasher movie Vesely would have the opportunity for some really fun filmmaking that would not only richen the spookiness of the story but also bring a stronger sense of nostalgia, both of which would likely enhance the audience's enjoyment. The climax of the film also needs work. It's rushed and just a bit too stupid for my liking.
I can't sit here and tell you this is a good movie, but I also won't tell you it's a bad one, as I think it delivers what it wants to deliver. It is in no way a master class in filmmaking, but it's as close to the classic B-movies of old as we've been in a long time. It's a short movie and it's a lot of fun so while it may not be very well made I'd still suggest people give it a shot just to have a fun time.
Rating: 2.6/5
Written by Matt McKenzie
The film takes place in a world where humans and ghosts coexist, with the occasional werewolf and witch. In a small town, a pizza delivery boy is murdered, leaving tensions between ghosts and humans high, and a lot of people asking questions. Some detectives, journalists, and people close to the case search for the truth, and the shady business behind it all.
Let me start by saying this movie is in no way for everyone. If you're a fan of old B-movies you will probably love it, however if you aren't you'll probably just find this to be stupid. The plot is over the top and director Austin Vesely does not shy away from the absurdity of it all. Surprisingly the film manages to have a pretty engaging mystery at the center of it all, there are predictable elements for sure but a lot of turns that make it hard to guess exactly where the story is going. The writing is also solid, with dialogue that teeters the line between hilarious and bad but due to the direction and capabilities of the actors hits the hilarious side of the spectrum. The effects are quite cheesy other than some surprisingly good ones here and there, but due to the style of the film it doesn't detract. I loved the score for this film, if I can find the soundtrack somewhere it will definitely be getting a download from me.
The acting in this film surprised me a bit. On paper the performances aren't impressive, but it's clear that everyone is hamming things up to fit the tone of the film and it works well. Chance the Rapper is surprisingly really good, and there were times I couldn't wait for him to come back on screen. Zazie Beetz brings a similar performance to what she did in Deadpool 2 and it once again worked really well, coming off as a perfect blend of funny and badass. Paul Scheer is also in the film, and he shows you exactly what kind of movie this is with his performance, hamming it up somehow even more than we usually see. Other standouts were Rae Gray as a young journalist, and Joe Keery from Stranger Things. Keery isn't in the film much but when he popped in he made me laugh almost every time.
Other than the obvious lack of high class production elements that leave this film feeling like a B-movie, I have some gripes. The horror element of the film is not played up enough. I think if the film was played up more like an old school slasher movie Vesely would have the opportunity for some really fun filmmaking that would not only richen the spookiness of the story but also bring a stronger sense of nostalgia, both of which would likely enhance the audience's enjoyment. The climax of the film also needs work. It's rushed and just a bit too stupid for my liking.
I can't sit here and tell you this is a good movie, but I also won't tell you it's a bad one, as I think it delivers what it wants to deliver. It is in no way a master class in filmmaking, but it's as close to the classic B-movies of old as we've been in a long time. It's a short movie and it's a lot of fun so while it may not be very well made I'd still suggest people give it a shot just to have a fun time.
Rating: 2.6/5
Written by Matt McKenzie
Comments
Post a Comment