Hello, and welcome back to Netflix Dumpster Dive, where I finally am getting my review out on time! I have much more time on my hands this semester (at least this part of it), so my hope is that I’ll be able to stay on top of things going forward.

I decided to walk some somewhat familiar territory this month, and a movie called Don’t Kill It caught my eye. It’s another horror comedy, and where some of the members of this genre I have examined in the past have been lackluster in one or even both of the categories, I think that this movie does both well. It was definitely a worthy choice for this series.

So, with nothing else to say, let’s get into the actual review.

Don’t Kill It is the story of an old, grizzled demon hunter who lost track of an ultra-powerful demon he had trapped near a small town in the US. When the demon finally possesses someone, strings of murders happen in a very small amount of time, and an FBI agent who once lived in the town is called into investigate. The demon hunter, Jebediah, and the young FBI agent, Evelyn, make an unlikely pairing and play off of some “buddy cop” style humor.

What I can say for Don’t Kill It is that it has charm and heart in a fun way that a lot of these types of movies fall flat on in the modern era. I try my best to cover enjoyable movies in Netflix Dumpster Dive. So, sometimes, I dance around the excessive demon-killing movies because they fail to get me invested.

I thought that this would be happening again with Don’t Kill It. I mean, come on, demon hunter who’s getting too old for this shit has to convince a hardened, young agent that the supernatural is real so they can save the day? Sounds like how many other movies? Too many to count. However, this movie does things in a way that sets it apart. I think that a tired narrative can be rejuvenated with the right flair, and that is exactly what  Don’t Kill It has. I found myself invested, however superficially, in the characters because they were built up in such a way that I had to be along for the ride. And, Dolph Lundgren is Jebediah. How could he not pull me in in that role?

Now, this isn’t to say Don’t Kill It is one hundred percent ridiculously original. It falls into the standard traps that I have come to expect from this type of movie. Lots of over-the-top silly action, a twist that has been done to death, some pretty cheap effects, et cetera. And, it does the stupid “dog dies at the start of a horror movie” trope, which I have complained about on Twitter on many occasions outside of just this movie. I think that the way it’s handled, however, makes that passable, for reasons I’m about to explain.

This movie reminds me of the classic Evil Dead. While that may sound blasphemous to horror buffs, hear me out. It’s campy, gory, and just insane from point A to point B. Do I think it’s perfect? Oh no. But it has that feel that horror flicks had back in the 70s and 80s. I had fun with it, which is more than I can say for other low budget horror films I’ve watched in recent years.

The fun I had, along with the over-the-topness, is due to the fact that the comedy in this movie is right up my alley. Most of it is dry humor, which I love. There are moments where actual “jokes” or outward, directly comedic beats happen, and they come when you least expect them. I was roaring laughing at one point. I loved that. I wasn’t laughing at the movie itself, but at the moments I was supposed to, which is exciting.

When it comes down to it, I have to recommend this movie, especially for a group movie night. It’s a treat. I don’t think it’s necessarily a masterful film in any regard, but for pure, semi-mindless entertainment, it absolutely does its job. My few issues with this movie are beaten out by the fun I had with it.

Overall Personal Rating: 5.5/10

 

Thanks for reading! Sorry for the short review. I wanted to make sure I got this out by the end of the month. If you want to read more, feel free to follow the site for new posts at the end of each month, and check out my books in the menu above. You can also follow me on Twitter here. Thanks again!

-Vincent

 

© 2018 Vincent C. Russo. All Rights Reserved. This post is intended for review and constitutes fair use. This film and any images used belong to their respective owners.