A mighty fine piece of cinema right there

Rating: 8/10 (11 June 2015)

For what it is - a lighthearted spoof of a hillbilly horror genre, this film has a surprising amount of depth to it. And I'm not just talking about the comedy aspect. The entire theme of the movie centres just as much around the stereotyping that the "West Virginia folk" suffer from, as it does around the preppy college kid trope in horror movies. And it does it in style. Even though some of the deaths seem improbable at best, they send the right message in the context of the story. The Chekhov's gun has fired and it keeps firing throughout the film. The script keeps you jumping from one set of shoes to another until you're left wandering, who the hell is the bad guy here, and if there's a bad guy here at all? This is the essence of the movie in terms of the message and it delivers in that department. It really does. But enough about the boring stuff, lets focus on what's important...
Is it funny? Yes. It's funny and original and everything you'd want from a spoof comedy. The references to the hillbilly horror movies are certainly there, and they are presented in such a way that a newcomer to the genre will still find the scenes funny, but a connoisseur will savour the additional layer of gory sweetness as it comes. One. Bloody. Bit. At a time. Delicious!
Acting is OK for what it is supposed to represent. It's not believable to the point of immersion, but it doesn't feel like it's supposed to be immersive too. It's just the right balance of acting versus goofery you'd come to expect from a spoof film. Plus some unscripted scenes make the movie that much more entertaining - apparently, in hillbilly country, beer is good for everything ;)
In summary, if you're looking for something to watch with your friends over a pizza, you'd have to look far and wide to find something more entertaining (but not stupid) than this. It's funny, energetic, thoughtful, and it will keep you talking for the rest of the evening in that holiday house you just bought with your friends. Just keep your eyes peeled for them pesky college kids! Or things might get a little... bloody!