One of the best loved screenings at the annual London Frightfest, which takes place on August Bank Holiday weekend each year in Central London and marked it’s twentieth anniversary in 2019, TUCKER AND DALE VS. EVIL was a sensation, as well as one of the most talked-about of the fans who saw it, including myself as a regular Frightfester.
Tucker (Alan Tudyk) and Dale (Tyler Labine) are two country-loving bumpkins who want nothing more than to go to their woodland hideaway to do some work and maybe share in the joys of nature. What they don’t want is a bunch of irritating college kids arriving on their patch, including gorgeous blonde Allison (Katrina Bowden), who unfortunately has an accident whilst Tucker and Dale are out fishing and gets carted back to their hideaway.
Unfortunately, her college friends interpret this as a classic DELIVERANCE meets FRIDAY THE 13TH scenario and in their determination to rescue Allison meet with unpleasant ends of their own….
Without question the best horror comedy of the last twenty years, TUCKER AND DALE VS. EVIL is a brilliant subversion of well established 1980s and 1990s horror motifs and adds some very funny surprises in the mix that add up to a very tasty horror entertainment that more than rivals the first two Sam Raimi EVIL DEAD films in terms of sheer enjoyment.
Traditional horror fans will recognise the films it pays tribute to, but even if you don’t like the horror genre, the sheer excessive blood makes the film more cheerfully brutal fun (the woodchipper scene is worth the price of a watch alone!) and any horror film that taps into the psychology gets bonus points from me too.