Though its script could have used one more draft, and it’s aching for a sequel we never got, “Tucker and Dale vs. Evil” still stands as the most charming horror-comedy of its time.
For the young ones just joining us, “Occupy Wall Street” was a short-lived social movement that swept the US during the fall of 2011. It decried corporate avarice, economic inequality, the evils of monopolies, and, in particular, the CEOs who hold dear all these transgressions. Hey, I couldn’t really disagree with this new crop of social justice warriors, as most of their points were well-intentioned and insightful.
Just don’t stand between me and the movie I’ve waited all year to see.
The scene was downtown Bellingham, Washington, a tree-huggin’, left-leanin’ college town a hour or two north of Seattle. Chanting demonstrators bounced off the bumper of my pickup truck as I carved my way through the crowd. After finally securing a parking spot and getting inside the theater, I found myself all alone–it turns out I was literally the first person in town to check out Eli Craig’s feature debut, TUCKER AND DALE VS. EVIL.
And all those protestor handprints and bloodstains on my fenders were worth it.
Tucker and Dale are a couple of simple, fun-loving West Virginia hicks looking to spend some time sprucing up their dilapidated cabin. Just think of them as Beavis and Butt-Head in bib overalls, only with fishing tackle in tow and sporting 20 more IQ points, give or take. When some college kids roll into their neck of the woods to party, things start to go south real quick. Before you can say ‘mistaken identity’, poor Tucker and Dale find themselves hip-waders deep in problems as the collegiates begin to bite the dust in a string of hilariously gory FINAL DESTINATION-style mishaps.
Whether it’s Tucker trying to mastermind a way out of their mess, or the adorable-but-self-conscious Dale trying to hit on a hottie without scaring the piss out of her, TUCKER AND DALE VS. EVIL puts a fresh spin on that familiar sitcom schtick of people reacting to one half of a story without bothering to hear the second half. With help from the likable Katrina Bowden as Dale’s prospective girlfriend/hostage victim, the film is a powder keg of laughs fueled by some admirable interplay between Alan Tudyk and Tyler Labine as the titular duo who just can’t stay out of trouble.
Without further ado, grab yourself a Pabst Blue Ribbon and ride along with what might be the most charming horror-comedy you’ll ever see. In the end, Tucker is certainly correct in his assessment: It’s a doozy of a day!
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