Written and directed by Paul Boyd, Jasper, a young filmmaker, seizes a chance to direct when his crew attends a seance in a haunted children’s shelter. Trapped inside, they’re haunted by ghostly orphans and a sinister force. Starring: Lin Shaye, Bill Moseley, Olivier Paris, Victoria Konefal, Jade Chynoweth, B.J. Minor, Kurt Deimer, Rae Dawn Chong and Lucinda Jenney.
There’s always been something so enjoyable about horror movies that are made to make fun of, while simultaneously paying homage to, how ridiculous and over the top they can be, which is exactly what Paul Boyddoes with Scared to Death. It has a classic set up, it’s very performative and hits those loud notes of foreboding and inevitable doom and gloom. They’re all very familiar, but that’s not a negative here, you can feel the intention to play with the formula in an almost parody-like way.
That’s pretty much how Scared to Death goes all throughout, but with special emphasis in the final scenes. That’s where it really shines and has a chance to play around with its silliness and theatricality. The tone and vibe create some good old-fashioned cheesy fun. Stylistically, it’s slightly reminiscent of Brooklyn 45 but where that film fell dramatically short, here Boyd finds the right balance. It’s a relatively simple style but it’s effective, a ghostly comedy with a touch of violence and a good dash of possession.
There are also some really great extra touches which demonstrate the awareness and thought that went into creating Scared to Death. Interestingly, the two that stand out most are within the end credits, the first being the excellent metal anthem created for the film by Kurt Deimer, it’s very 2000s and a bit of a banger. The second is the posters that run alongside the credits, created to bring to life the horror exploits of its veteran scream king The Grog (Deimer). They’re well done and a great touch to add that cherry on top.
Lastly, you have the performances, and this was a very well chosen group to understand the assignment. Obviously, you can’t go wrong with Lin Shaye, just adding her to any horror-related project will make people want to watch it, and it feels like she had a lot of fun here. She gets to let loose and to put it bluntly, act like a dick, and it’s very enjoyable to watch. The rest of the ensemble similarly feel like they had a good time with these roles, they lean into the comedy but not so far that they become too silly, it’s a good balance. B.J. Minor is a particular highlight, the drama and personality that he brings to Johnny are entertaining and add in a good variety. Especially as this is a character that could have easily been an irritating cliché if done poorly.
Scared to Death is a solid horror-comedy, Paul Boyd finds a great balance of creating that horror story but leaves plenty of space to be playful and cheesy. There’s an excellent ensemble at work, who all truly understand what’s being asked of them, and played their parts perfectly to the beat of the film’s tone. It’s all about entertainment, it’s an easy watch and a good time, and it has a great spirit, no pun intended.
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