We ain't got the regular here

Rating: 9/10 (5 September 2011)

I had the pleasure of seeing this on demand using the Xbox Live: Zune Marketplace. Some independent films, that aren't going or are going to very limited theaters, release their films on demand to outlets like Zune, DirecTV, and Pay-Per View to try and get more money before the DVD comes out. I've seen numerous films on Zune like Conan O'Brien Can't Stop, Red State, and many others. It's a very nice privilege to see something you can't in theaters.
I praise this new on demand feature because many of the independent films I've seen off of it deserve to have a wide release, but don't get one. Tucker and Dale vs. Evil is truly a great, fresh look at comedy/horror as it parodies cabin style horror films like Cabin Fever, The Hills Have Eyes, and The Texas Chainsaw Massacre. It does it with a good sense of gore and a good sense of humor. Both combinations duplicated a lot in modern horror, but many fail to succeed.
The plot: Tucker (Tudyk) and Dale (Levine) are two backwoods-hillbillies that are as simple as can be. They buy their "dreamhouse" in the middle of the woods, which is just a beaten up shack. They are satisfied, and want to fix the house up to fulfill their long time dream.
Meanwhile, a group of College kids travel up to the same woods to drink, party, and skinny-dip in a swamp in the middle of the night. Tucker and Dale go swimming late at night when they see a girl, in her bra and underwear, about to jump into swampy water. Because girls love to strip down to nothing in the middle of the woods to go skinny-dipping. Seeing Tucker and Dale surprises her and she falls backwards hitting her head.
Tucker and Dale rescue her, and try to alert the group of kids by saying "We got your friend" which only achieves scaring the kids and having them run for the hills. The remainder is a series of misunderstandings with the hillbillies looking like serial killers, and the College kids trying to rescue their friend. The misunderstandings aren't very far-fetched, and they almost have a Final Destination appearance to them of people unintentionally dying.
Being that this film is sort of the first of its kind, it doesn't have a formula and had to be designed by screenwriters Eli Craig and Morgan Jurgenson. It works. The combinations of gore, humor, and scares are all put into very fair and balanced doses. The film is never cocky, and is always fast-paced and entertaining.
Independent horror films will more than likely dominate the growing market. Modern horror films aren't going anywhere but back to the past, and even some former limited release films like Paranormal Activity are being blown out of proportion with sequels and budget-increases. Tucker and Dale vs. Evil is as innocent as its title characters - but they continue to deliver edgy laughs and scares.
Starring: Alan Tudyk and Tyler Labine. Directed by: Eli Craig.