Scare Package (2019) Film Review
We don’t give enough credit to horror anthologies. A damn shame if you ask me.
They are well-produced opportunities for new filmmakers to slowly enter a relentless industry that most of them will not survive. For horror fans, they are buffet dinners where you can easily choose your favorite platter and stick with it. Sure, making a good arc segment isn’t as easy, but in horror rules are meant to be broken and you should not take yourself so seriously all the time. This is exactly what makes Aaron B. Koontz and Cameron Burns‘ Scare PackageĀ a good example of an idea that’s been executed just the way it should be.
A couple of years ago, it became a festival darling when it snatched some awards and Shudder made it part of its catalog. Now that it got a sequel and those associated with it got around to bigger things, it seems like a good idea to go back and revisit what’s essentially a product of love for the horror genre. Somehow, Scare PackageĀ got better. Way better. Practical effects, tons of gore, great humor, and a fantastic variety of segments make it a great choice in case you want to let go on a Friday night and enjoy the little details sometimes original horror offers. Not that you won’t remember your favorite franchise since it’s riddled with homages.
As usual, we’ll go segment by segment:
- Rad Chad’s Horror Emporium, AKA Horror Hypothesis: It works as the frame narrative and then it progresses into its own story. This one tells the story of a video store manager who trains a new employee but a sudden betrayal will make him part of a horror movie. It’s definitely one of the best of the bunch because of how it complies with the genre rules, stays entertaining throughout the whole running time, and introduces very funny characters in the end. How this one connects with Cold Open in the beginning and in the end, is proof of great screenwriting.
- Cold Open: Emily Hagins directs the best segment in the film. Cold Open tells the story of Mike Myers, a stock character in horror films whose only responsibility is executing an act through which victims will become prey. Nothing else. When he intends to be a little more, he goes too far. Yet Myers is so clumsy, he won’t have control of anything. It’s the most original way to play with a trope that weirdly hasn’t been explored in the past.
- One Time In The Woods: This one is a fantastic celebration of gore, ooze and special effects. It tells the story of campers who come upon a killer with a clever way of revealing his intentions. That’s about as much as I’ll say. If you got a weak stomach, you should probably skip this one, although you’ll miss a great example of genre filmmaking.
- M.I.S.T.E.R.: A hilarious idea that’s sadly cut too short and edited. M.I.S.T.E.R. is the story of a husband who questions his sanity and role in a marriage where he’s not the dominant one. It’s funny, but the horror element is unfortunately underseen this time.
- Girls Night Out Of Body: Quite mysterious but not very logical narrative-wise. This is the story of a group of girls who steal a cursed item that will turn them into… demons? There’s a stalker in the background who should probably think before attacking girls that don’t look normal. I was expecting more than just a victory dance with this one.
- The Night He Came Back Again! Part IV: The Final Kill: Scare Package goes full slasher with this one as survivors attack the killer who doesn’t seem to be able to die. It starts with an interesting approach but then it becomes a killfest that doesn’t make much sense and wastes its good idea for gory effects.
- So Much To Do: This one’s got potential and it contains my favorite shot in the film (when the glass in the car doors blows up, WOW!), but it’s not well explained in the end. This one’s about possession, and one spirit that should have thought better before getting inside the body of a kick-ass woman.
Trust me on this one. If you’re into 80s horror, slasher cinema, or horror comedies, this is one you don’t want to miss.
