Tucker and Dale vs. Evil (2010)

This is a movie that I've been hearing about for a few months now.  It is a parody of those crazy hillbilly flicks (think Wrong Turn) that have been popular for years.  Now this sort of thing can be hit or miss, with most missing.  But I was pleasantly surprised by this one.

Tucker and Dale are a couple of simple guys headed out to their new vacation home to fix it up and do some fishing.  Along the way they run into some college kids that immediately assume they are creepy and dangerous.  This misunderstanding continues when the guys save one of the girls from drowning.  The kids think she has been kidnapped and get ready to do battle.  Only problem is that they do more damage to themselves then to either Tucker or Dale.  As things escalate the guys end up terrified in their cabin, surrounded by the homicidal college students.

This is a really funny movie.  It is a really simple idea with the comedy coming from the misunderstanding between the guys and the college kids.  Some of it is a little dark with the kids killing themselves while trying to "protect" each other from Tucker and Dale.  Though is there anything funnier then seeing a guy jump into a wood chipper?  I think not.  I suppose not everyone will giggle at the mayhem on display here, but then again this movie wasn't made for that crowd anyway.  So be warned this is the kind of humor you are going to get with Tucker and Dale vs. Evil.

There was something else that I wanted to mention.  There are some parodies that take the cheap route and just make fun of their subject matter or worse go for cheap laughs.  There is some thought behind this movie.  The writing is clever and they take the time to set up the gags really well.  There is even a funny twist at the end with one of the characters that was a nice touch.  I thought the cast was great, especially Alan Tudyk (Tucker) and Tyler Labine (Dale).  They have great chemistry on screen and their timing is wonderful.  When you have a great cast and story then you get a great movie.

Time to talk about the special effects.  To begin with they are being played for laughs.  That means that I can give them a break on some of the mediocre CGI effects.  And yes many of them aren't that great.  Most of the big gags from the wood chipper to the lack of gun safety are done with cheesy digital effects.  Now if this were a serious movie that would ruin the mood.  But for a comedy like Tucker and Dale vs. Evil it works.  Heck it might even make it better!  I was laughing at both the situation and the fake CGI limbs flying all over the place. 

To sum things up this is a movie that is trying to be funny and succeeds.  If you are looking for a fun way to kill an evening then you could do a whole lot worse then Tucker and Dale vs. Evil.  Recommended.

3 out of 4

reviewed by John Shatzer

© Copyright 2011 John Shatzer