“…surprisingly hilarious, heartfelt, and fun, managing to deliver a meaningful message without sacrificing the aspects of the horror genre we love.”

There’s something glorious about those classic, cabin-in-the-woods, gory horror films. Movies like The Texas Chain Saw Massacre (1974), Friday the 13th (1980), and The Evil Dead (1981) all top my list of the cult classic horror genre. Sure, some modern films make the list as well, such as Wrong Turn (2003), The Hills Have Eyes (2006) and The Cabin in the Woods (2012). While these films are just all-around good survive-your-environment-and-survive-the-killers kind of fun, it isn’t often that these films carry much of a message. I mean, really, we don’t expect one when the main reason we watch these films is to see some creatively-gory death scenes. Yea…we’re probably twisted, but that’s ok! Tucker and Dale vs. Evil (directed by Eli Craig, 2010) is surprisingly hilarious, heartfelt, and fun, managing to deliver a meaningful message without sacrificing the aspects of the horror genre we love.

Tucker and Dale vs. Evil begins like any other typical horror film does. There is a group of antsy, amped-up college kids on their way to a remote camping spot in the woods where they can get wasted, skinny dip, and hopefully get lucky. When they find themselves needing to stop for some supplies on the way, they run into a couple of weird, scary-looking hillbillies also on their way into the woods. However, the film introduces us to the parodic twist early on: those intimidating hillbillies by the names of Tucker (played by Alan Tudyk) and Dale (played by Tyler Labine) are nothing but harmless, good-natured teddy bears. After purchasing a “vacation home” in the woods (a seedy-looking and beat-up cabin likely previously inhabited by actual hillbilly murderers), the two friends are simply excited to do some fishing and work on fixing up the cabin. Unfortunately for them, their well-intentioned trip gets interrupted when Allison (played by Katrina Bowden), one of the college girls, gets hurt and needs rescuing. However, no good deed goes unpunished, and under the leadership of Chad (played by Jesse Moss), the others become convinced that Allison was kidnapped and murdered. Too bad for them, though, that as their rescue mission unfolds, they begin to experience…unfortunate accidents that begin to make Tucker and Dale look less than harmless.

With more unfortunate mishaps and accidents than a 90s sitcom, Tucker and Dal vs. Evil has plenty of gory deaths to satisfy a horror-lover’s appetite. What this film manages to do, however, is take incredibly bloody and violent deaths and make them downright hilarious. With a brilliant twist on the classic, cabin-in-the-woods horror film, this movie parodies the genre by literally switching up the roles of killer and victim. Poor Tucker and Dale are characters that an audience can relate to, because they’re legitimately likeable, and we all know how frustrating it can be to be in the wrong place at the wrong time. The actors cast for the roles couldn’t have been better. I’ve liked Alan Tudyk since his role as Wat in A Knight’s Tale alongside the late Heath Ledger in 2001, and I remember Tyler Labine from his performance as Bert Wysocki in the CW television series Reaper that ran from 2007-2009.

While primarily a satirical, comedic piece, this film isn’t superficial, and it manages to deliver a respectable message…two, in fact. Most of the world’s problems are caused by miscommunication, and you shouldn’t judge people based upon the way they look. Don’t worry, though. The messages aren’t overly preachy, and the more that the character of Allison attempts to talk through their issues, the worse things become. Tucker and Dale vs. Evil is just one of those movies you have to see in order to truly understand how incredible it is. The premise is familiar but simultaneously unique, and its rewatchability factor is through the roof. This one is absolutely worth your time for a few good laughs and some bloody awesome (pun intended) deaths. I’m giving this one 9/10. My fellow horror fans will definitely get a kick out of it!