Their subtly named manager Jeremy Shill (Jeff Garlin) really, really needs The Foo Fighters (indeed playing themselves) to make a hit record again. But, this being their tenth musical epic, inspiration is not too easily come by. So how about moving into a creepy mansion for a couple of weeks to produce their new record there? The Place may have a bit of a dark past full of murder and unpleasant occult rituals, but that’s just all the more Rock'n'Roll, right?
At first, Dave Grohl is not hit with inspiration (the idea that anybody else in the band might come up with a riff isn’t even brought up), even though he gets a great drum sound. Inspiration doesn’t even hit when the band’s favourite roadie dies in a curious accident (no sad song for him, apparently), or when Dave’s new nightmares begin to become rather interesting. Not even trying to rip off Lionel Ritchie gets him more than a cameo by the guy.
Things change when Dave descends into a hidden cellar and finds some tapes made by the legendary band Dream Widow, right next to satanic paraphernalia and a sacrificed raccoon (sorry, Rocket). The tapes are so good, Dave gets possessed by an evil, murderous force and now feels driven to get his band to perfect a basically endless song, which will also open the gates to hell, yada yada.
The history of rock bands in movies will not have to be rewritten, even though BJ McDonnell’s (also the director of various Slayer videos as well as of the terrible Hatchet 3) Foo Fighters vehicle is certainly on the more entertaining side of its particular genre. At least it never gets boring, which is more than you can say about many a music or horror comedy.
The musicians make for fun and likeable non-actors, with Grohl having the most to do and showing the most actual competence as an actor. Everybody else if pretty awkward, but they are awkward in a fun manner. There’s also a huge, likable sense of self-irony running through the affair. Thus potential for egomania this sort of project can’t help but suggest is nicely undermined by how many of the jokes are on our resident rock stars.
About a third of the jokes are even genuinely funny, which isn’t a bad quota for a movie that throws out half a dozen a minute. Add to that the fun gore effects, and you’ll find me revisiting this one more often than Kiss: Phantom of the Park (see also, egomania).
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