Buzzkill (Movie Review/Interview)
The great aspect of horror films these days is that they are finally getting the praise they deserve. More and more, people talk about these indie films blowing up and being seen by the general audience. The horror genre more than ever has been more accessible than ever before. Especially when it comes to originals on streaming services. Tubi is one of my all-time platforms to see cool horror originals. Buzzkill is a Tubi Original, directed by Jem Garrard, that is the perfect movie for this spooky holiday season. Stars Siena Agudong, Brec Bassinger, and Aliyahs Interlude who play these sorority sisters who have to figure who murdered their friend. Siena, who plays Nora, watched the murder happen, but was so drunk that she doesn’t remember who did it. As she prepares to get wasted again in order to solve the case, shenanigans ensue. Buzzkill is one of those great horror comedies that is a great gateway horror film that can introduce a new generation to the horror genre. Just like Scream has done for so many other people, this movie feels like a launch pad for new horror fans. Buzzkill is a breath of fresh air that leans on homages, tropes, and a celebration of slashers before it. A complete fun watch with many silly moments all served up by a great ensemble cast. A hilarious fun ride that has many twists and turns. A next-generational slasher that delivers a ton of laughs and gruesome kills that will have to intoxicated with so much joy.
The really great aspect of the movie is the ensemble cast that brings these characters to life and the story as well. The premise is ridiculous and it leans on the campiness of it all. The movie feels tonally fun and never loses that energy. It is a good time from start to finish. Now don’t let yourself think that this is just a pure comedy. Buzzkill has some really crazy kills that will absolutely shock you. More importantly, the story is about following this friend group who are trying to look out for each other and you feel it. The relationships felt lived in with all the characters and you want them to succeed. They all have their screen time as well and we spend a good amount of time with everyone, so we can have a bigger impact, as an audience, when someone dies. A movie that is clearly a whodunnit, only works if the cast is great and this cast was indeed great. Each person seemed both innocent and guilty at the same time, which is a perfect way to tell this story. The dialogue feels realistic and grounded. I was lucky enough to talk to Brec Bassinger about the film and she told me that all the girls in the cast and crew really got close. Their real-life friendships really translated well on the screen. You can tell that this movie brought them close together.
The direction by Jem Garrard tackles the genre with great precision, and you can tell that Jem is a horror fan. The movie nods its hat to many movies withion the slasher genre. Where this movie takes a unique spin at it is the concept of how the murder is being solved. The idea that getting drunk to solve a case is hilarious. This movie leans into how crazy that concept is and embraces it. The movie never tries to be something that it is not. This is the one thing that might be great for some viewers, but maybe not everyone. The humor and jokes are definitely for a younger generation audience. Although partying in college is a tradition many people have taken a part of, this movie shows the reality of what that looks like in this day and age. Although there are moments that didn’t hit well with me, it never felt boring and inconsistent. The story has a lively energy in this whacky and crazy scenario. There is a lot of use of alcohol and drugs as well, that really made some of these scenes even more over the top. This movie lets loose, and you can tell the cast and crew had a great time with these scenes. The gore and violence, when it came time to it, delivers the gut punch it needed. One by one hunted by a killer while the main character gets drunk and high is what makes this movie so entertaining. Like I said, this movie might not be for everyone, but it is guaranteed to have something new that people have not seen before.
Overall, Buzzkill is a movie that presents a fun, campy, silly, and thrilling idea. The main thing that makes this movie work so well is the embodiment of what a slasher is supposed to feel like and give it a fun twist. These are the types of movies that make me excited to see what the next generation will do for the horror genre. Buzzkill is one of those movies that can get someone into the genre as its a pretty easy watch for new horror genre viewers. The movie kept me guessing who the killer is and always presented some fun scenes that were pretty unforgettable. It has all the laughs, crazy kills, and even clowns at some point. The cast did a great job creating realistic characters and showed what the power of friendship can overcome. It is a blast to follow Nora and her consistently less sober state into a whirlwind of crazy sequences. It is cool to know that Siena, the actress, did her own stunts in the movie as well. Brec Bassinger gave me the inside scoop on how great the collaboration was with the cast and the crew down in South Africa. Make sure to check out Buzzkill on Tube tomorrow, September 25th! Full interview down below.
Rating: 75/100
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