Wednesday, September 3, 2008

In short: Satan's Little Helper (2004)

Jeff Lieberman has directed a handful of interesting genre films since 1972. It's certainly satisfying to see someone stubbornly insist on making the kind of film he is interested in; alas Satan's Little Helper is only two thirds of a quirky slasher film.

A little boy named Doug (Alexander Brickel) is fascinated by a video game named "Satan's Little Helper", where a small devil helps the goat-footed one himself in his work. It's one of those magical games only found in films that runs both on a portable console and a PC and looks like something no kid would want to play on both. Be that as it may, it's Halloween and Doug (stylishly dressed in a red devil costume) soon meets a serial killer dressed up like Satan. Of course he wants to help his idol with his work and accompanies the mute killer on his bloody rampage, not realizing the weight of what is really happening.

All this is quite funny in a black and cynical way, but after an hour the film reaches a short and gruesome point from which no way leads back to the film being a comedy. Unfortunately, the movie ignores this, makes its humor more slapstick-like and finally goes the way all modern slasher movies go - "clever" twists that aren't all that clever for a viewer somewhat more intelligent than a cockroach.

At least one good hour of film is one good hour more than Hatchet (or the damnable Scream, which is to blame for much that is wrong with modern slashers) managed.

 

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