Monster Mania Day 4: Tucker and Dale vs. Evil

Written by Stu Cooper

After viewing this film it immediately became one of my favorite horror films ever. It's a horror comedy, and certainly one of the best in that style. It is a satire of the backwoods redneck killer horror films with an element of madness to it that leaves you in awe. The film is called "Tucker and Dale Vs. Evil" and it was released in 2010. It was written and directed by Eli Craig and Mark Jurgenson. It starred Alan Tudyk as Tucker and Tyler Labine as Dale. I must say the casting was absolutely perfect and this is one of those films where you can't picture anyone else in the roles after watching it.

The plot follows two redneck best friends by the name of Tucker and Dale. They are on their way to Tucker's new cabin to remodel and do some maintenance while relaxing in the wilderness. These guys are on their way when they run into a group of college kids and the kids immediately assume Tucker and Dale are psychotic killers, because ya know...everyone in hill country is. Dale attempts to introduce himself to the group but is immediately mistook for a sickle fielding maniac. One member of the group named Allison (played by Katrina Bowden) is actually rather smart and does not see Tucker & Dale as anything out of the ordinary. Later in the film she becomes a critical part of the story when she injures herself in a local lake and is about to drown but she is saved by Dale. Over the course of the film Dale nurses her back to health and they form a bond. Unfortunately for Tucker & Dale the college group assumes they have kidnapped their friend, and they vow to rescue and avenge her. I don't want to spoil much more than that because from that point on the film turns into a complete madhouse, almost of slapstick proportions. It is absolutely brilliant and something I've never seen before in a film.

I watched this film with my brother who is not a horror fan, and he found it incredibly entertaining. I can remember a few moments where he was laughing so hard he was almost crying. It truly does elicit that kind of reaction. Alan Tudyk and Tyler Labine are really the highlight of the film. Their on-screen chemistry is remarkable and you really do see these guys as being the best of friends. Since this film has seen some moderate success I'm hoping we get to see future adventures with the pair. I realize this all sounds rather odd, it's kind of hard to type out how ridiculous this movie is. It's all about perspective, and that is something you can't really describe in words, so all I can say is PLEASE watch this film and see for yourself. The film is available streaming on Netflix right now and the blu-ray is under 10 dollars, so no excuses for missing this one. I can't recommend it enough. If you like fun horror films with a satirical comedic smart spin, this one is for you.