Movies
[Review] ‘4/20 Massacre’ Is a Flawed But Charming Horror-Comedy
Personally, I find stoner comedies and slasher flicks to be two of the most comforting things in existence, and I often wonder why filmmakers don’t combine these complimentary genres more often. While there’s commonly a throwaway stoner character in many horror films, there’s yet to be a horror comedy that follows in the footsteps of classics like Cheech and Chong or Harold and Kumar. That’s why I jumped on the opportunity to review Dylan Reynolds’s new film, 4/20 Massacre!
The aptly named 4/20 Massacre features Jamie Bernadette, Vanessa Rose Parker, Stacey Danger, Justine Wachsberger and Marissa Pistone as an ensemble of stoners who embark on an ill-fated camping trip. Once the girls encounter a costumed stranger who’s more than willing to kill in order to protect his unorthodox plantation, things get messy with plenty of pot humor, murderous thrills and a retro soundtrack to boot.
Stoner humor has always been a love-it or hate-it kind of affair, and your appreciation of these tropes will ultimately decide whether or not you’re going to have a good time with 4/20 Massacre, as these elements outweigh the slasher elements of the flick until the final act. This isn’t really surprising, as most classic slashers spend the majority of the runtime “hanging out” with the potential victims before shit hits the fan, and it just so happens that in this case, all the victims are potheads.
Despite the emphasis on humor, there are a lot of punchlines that don’t quite land, and many of the jokes aren’t all that original to begin with. This, coupled with some uninspired kills, makes the film feel way too slow at times, though it never becomes entirely devoid of entertainment. It’s a real shame that the horror aspect isn’t fully fleshed out, as making the slasher elements more gruesome could have made for a nice change of pace, contrasting with the more laid-back approach in the humorous scenes.
Nevertheless, we did get an interesting backstory and motivation for our killer, though it was poorly delivered through some expository dialogue. The characters were also likable enough that their untimely demise still packed a punch in spite of some relatively tame effects. Of course, much of this is due to the charming cast, but the script admittedly did a great job at characterizing these young women with their own unique issues and personalities.
In the end, 4/20 Massacre exists in a weird state of cinematic limbo, as it’s not especially funny or scary, but it’s still somehow charming enough to recommend if you’re a fan of stoner humor and/or classic slasher flicks. The pacing is rather off and the horror elements could have used some more polish, but the script is just clever enough to make it all work. Plus, the movie ends on one of the coolest closing shots in recent memory, so why not give it a shot?
4/20 Massacre will be available in select theaters starting (you guessed it) April, 20th!
Movies
SCREAMBOX Investigates UFOs and Extraterrestrials: Several Documentaries Streaming Right Now!
As someone who is obsessed with UFOS (or more recently known as UAPs) and the concept of extraterrestrials, I love a good documentary. Sightings have been on the rise since the 1940s, with the atomic bomb seemingly acting as a catalyst for new visitors. But what are these UFOs/UAPs? Is there an explanation or are they simply beyond our explanation? Why are they here? Who are they? How much do our governments know? The questions are endless and so are the documentaries that attempt to uncover the secrets behind decades of sightings and alleged confrontations.
Whether you’re a seasoned viewer or new to the rabbit hole, there’s always a handful of interesting documentaries to get your neurons firing and leave you with sleepless nights. SCREAMBOX is investigating with the addition of several docs, all streaming now on the Bloody Disgusting-powered service. Here’s the breakdown:
Aliens (2021): Beam into this unidentified streaming documentary for a glimpse into Extraterrestrial life. Aliens are hypothetical life forms that may occur outside Earth or that did not originate on Earth.
Aliens Uncovered: Origins (2021): Before Area 51, hidden deep in the desert, the military discovered a hidden gem that helped them create Project Bluebook.
Aliens Uncovered: ET or Man-Made (2022): The crash of Roswell wasn’t meant for New Mexico. In 1947, a neighboring state had 3 major sightings that were swept under the rug.
Aliens Uncovered: The Golden Record (2023): In the late 70s, the US government launched a message to our distant neighbors.
Roswell (2021): This high-flying documentary examines the July 1947 crash of a United States Army Air Forces balloon at a ranch near Roswell, New Mexico. Theories claim the crash was actually that of a flying saucer, but what is the truth?
Also check out:
The British UFO Files (2004): Since the 1940’s the British Government has been investigating the Flying Saucer phenomenon. High-ranking military and government personnel, speak out for the first time, offering unique eyewitness accounts and inside information.
Alien Abductions and Paranormal Sightings (2016): Amazing Footage and stories from real people as they reveal their personal encounters of being abducted by Aliens.
And do not miss Hellier (2019): A crew of paranormal researchers find themselves in a dying coal town, where a series of strange coincidences lead them to a decades-old mystery.
These documentaries join SCREAMBOX’s growing library of unique horror content, including Onyx the Fortuitous and the Talisman of Souls, Here for Blood, Terrifier 2, RoboDoc: The Creation of RoboCop, Hollywood Dreams & Nightmares: The Robert Englund Story, The Outwaters, Living with Chucky, Project Wolf Hunting, and Pennywise: The Story of IT.
Start screaming now with SCREAMBOX on iOS, Android, Apple TV, Prime Video, Roku, YouTube TV, Samsung, Comcast, Cox, and Screambox.com.
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