The ‘90s often get a bad rap with horror fans. After the numerous successful slashers and creature effects films of the ’80s, the ‘90s offered a different variety of horror fare. Though there were plenty of hits, hidden gems, and misunderstood classics, the ‘90s usually don’t get the kind of love that other decades get when it comes to horror. It’s time to change that.
Twenty years ago, a little horror comedy opened in theaters and it garnered a disappointing reaction from audiences. Swallowed up by holdover successes like Never Been Kissed, 10 Things I Hate About You, and The Matrix, this goofball flick was equally as dismissed by critics. Now, with the value of hindsight and the grace of time, we’re here to go to bat for the lovably dimwitted and surprisingly gory Idle Hands.
It’s clear that Idle Hands has a lot of love towards the horror genre. The entire premise is about a young man, Anton (Devon Sawa), whose hand becomes possessed by a murderous spirit. This is certainly inspired by the silent film classic The Hands of Orlac, but once the hand is chopped off and starts running around town to kill anyone it can, it’s not hard to see how Evil Dead II was likely the movie that writers Terri Hughes Burton and Ron Milbauer used to pitch the idea. And with some of the hand’s victims appearing as reanimated corpses to Anton? I think somebody might be a fan of An American Werewolf in London.
You’ll also catch quick snippets of Night of the Living Dead, Dawn of the Dead, and Rob Zombie’s “Dragula” on Anton’s TV.
So yeah, Idle Hands is unabashedly in love with its horror trappings. And while the movie is undeniably sillier than it is scary, Idle Hands goes all out when it comes to its splatstick effects. No gore gag is given the short shrift, and it’s likely that the film’s reported $25 million budget was mostly spent on the effects work. Which is exactly where it should have been spent. There is a cavalcade of over-the-top kills which include the lead singer of The Offspring getting his scalped ripped off. That’s a net good in the world of cinema. To be a little more serious, there is also a fantastic animatronic head of actor Elden Henson that deserves high praise.
For a movie that lives or dies on its effects, Idle Hands delivers the goods.
But that isn’t the only fun the movie has in store. Since this is part of the post-Scream era of studio horror, Idle Hands has its tongue practically bursting through its cheek. The main characters are hapless ‘90s stoners — played with dumbbell charm by Sawa, Henson, and the always affable Seth Green — and the entire mood of the movie is lighthearted and cornball. It’s pretty obvious that the film’s Halloween setting is meant to evoke that holiday’s impish attitude. So much of the movie feels like a trip to your neighborhood’s haunted house attraction. That’s not a bad thing when you can sense the gleefulness behind its intentions.
Though there are elements of Idle Hands that have not aged well — the outrage clickbait articles that would be written about Jessica Alba’s character Molly would be well-deserved — it’s a movie that really does capture the childish fun of horror and Halloween. For those who enjoy unrestrained effects and a jokey tone, Idle Hands is one of the best offerings out there.
After twenty years, it might be time to give this movie a cult following.
