VOD Review: Deathgasm (2015)

We've always said that Horror was the Heavy Metal of the movie world; loud, ballsy, and bastardized by many people as somehow not being as legitimate as other Genres. Any Horror or Heavy Metal fan out there knows that that's bullshit though, as both are the most dynamic, heartfelt, and versatile forms in their respective media. In other words, they both fucking rock.

Why more Horror movies don't feature Heavy Metal on their soundtracks, we'll never know. I get that quieter movies need quieter scores and soundtracks, and that's how it should be, but any big, balls-out, loud, rocking, crazy, funny, insanely gory Horror flick (like this) needs Metal. Lots, and lots of Metal. 

Thankfully, writer/director Jason Lei Howden gets this, and he made Deathgasm into the perfect melding of the two that fans like us want, and deserve. This movie got the Heavy Metal scene, and more accurately, the kids who tend to populate it, dead on right. How fucking great is that?

After his meth addict Mother is sent to the loony bin for trying to suck off a Santa Claus in a crowded mall, outcast teen Brodie is sent to live with his bible-thumping Uncle and his family. Being a Heavy Metal kid, Brodie is constantly picked on and singled out by his classmates, especially his dickhead cousin. The poor kid has got a tough life, and all he really wants to do is rock.

ROCK. JUST LIKE THIS.

Brodie makes fast friends with a couple of other outcast geeks, as well as the local cool Metalhead, Zakk, and the four of them decide to start a metal band together, even though they pretty much suck at making music. He also draws the attention of the school hottie, Medina, which just goes to show you that deep down inside, all chicks really love rockers.

THEY ALSO REALLY LOVE ICE CREAM.

After breaking into the house of legendary Heavy Metal frontman Ricky Daggers, they come upon sheet music for something called The Black Hymn... which when played, supposedly summons the Demon Aeloth from Hell (or wherever he lives), and subsequently ushers in a new age of Demonic Hell on Earth. And so of course they play the Hymn, because they're idiots.

Heavy fucking Metal and Demonic mayhem ensues.

THIS BEING THE AFOREMENTIONED DEMONIC MAYHEM.

The thing that really made Deathgasm work, at least for us, was the way that it marred Horror with Heavy Metal. There's no better music to accentuate the crazy, over-the-top violence and gore of a movie like this than Heavy Metal, and we loved that it was at the very heart of this movie.

From the D&D bits (especially the dice); to the sex toy massacre; to the way that the demons behaved in that Evil Dead/Dead Alive Deadite-like manner; to the fountains of blood; to the way that Medina went from straight-laced good girl to rocker chick after 10 seconds of listening to Heavy Metal; to great lines like "Metal up your ass, motherfucker!", this movie entertained the living shit out of us.

In all fairness, we grew up listening to Heavy Metal, playing D&D, and rocking long hair and jean jackets like the characters in this movie did, and for those reasons, Deathgasm might have resonated better with us than it will with some people. In fact, that's probably why it did resonate so well with us, but what can you do?

US, IN 9TH GRADE.

Deathgasm displayed obvious shades of The Evil Dead throughout, but its main influence was obviously Dead Alive by Peter Jackson. At times during this one, I remarked on how much it reminded me of Peter Jackson's early Horror flicks, and after going to IMDB and learning that the director had worked on the Hobbit films, our suspicions were all but confirmed. Not only did he create a fun little homage, but his expertise with Visual FX was also working full tilt in Deathgasm, as the movie's gore gags look far better than they do in most smaller flicks like this.

The cast was solid in this one as well. All of the main players are basically unknowns to us, but they nailed their parts perfectly. Especially Kimberley Crossman. She's special. 

YES, KIMBERLEY, BY SPECIAL WE DO MEAN HOT.

The ending could have been a bit stronger. As great as this movie was, and as much as the coming of The Blind One was hyped up throughout, the final confrontation was quick and kind of silly. The last bit just didn't feel right to us.

HE KIND OF WENT OUT LIKE A BITCH.

Why did Zakk have to be such a dick? Don't sell us on how much of a bro he is, and then have him pull some of the dick moves that he did, because that kind of kills the whole camaraderie thing. That was a shitty plot device that this movie didn't need.

NOT COOL, BRO!

This is one crazy, bloody, wet and red splatterfest; and we're talking like near Dead Alive levels of gory here. Even if most of it was played for laughs, this movie is definitely not for the squeamish.

THIS x 100.

We get a couple of topless girls, and Kimberley Crossman looking really good throughout this one... even if she did remain fully clothed. 

DELANEY TABRON WAS LOOKING MIGHT FINE AS WELL.

Heavy Metal fucking rules. There's nothing else that need be learned.

ALSO, NEVER UNDERESTIMATE THE HOT CHICK. YOU'LL PAY FOR IT IF YOU DO.

in 2015, New Zealand has given us two of the funniest and most enjoyable Horror Comedies of the year with What We Do in the Shadows, and now, Deathgasm. Sure, this movie is kind of dumb and even silly at times, but it's also fun, funny as hell, gorier than most, and even a bit sentimental. What else can you really ask for from a Horror Comedy?

We loved it, and if you like your Horror served up with a liberal dose of Heavy Metal badassery, then you're probably going to love it too.

A-

Deathgasm is available now on VOD.

How about that Kimberley Crossman, eh?