Slaughterhouse Rulez (2018)
October 29, 2020 9:12 PM - Subscribe
An illustrious British boarding school becomes a bloody battleground when a mysterious sinkhole appears at a nearby fracking site unleashing unspeakable horror.
Featuring Michael Sheen, Simon Pegg, and Nick Frost, this YA horror comedy briefly touches on the usual horrors of attending a posh private school (strictly enforced social hierarchy, hazing, sadistic upper classman) before revealing the true horror is the headmaster is allowing fracking in order to fund the school. The fracking itself is dangerous, but opens up the school to attack by a legendary evil that's been living underground for hundreds of years.
Featuring Michael Sheen, Simon Pegg, and Nick Frost, this YA horror comedy briefly touches on the usual horrors of attending a posh private school (strictly enforced social hierarchy, hazing, sadistic upper classman) before revealing the true horror is the headmaster is allowing fracking in order to fund the school. The fracking itself is dangerous, but opens up the school to attack by a legendary evil that's been living underground for hundreds of years.
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One of the main problems is that playing actually dangerous things (like bullying and fracking) for comedy is extremely tone deaf even within the world of the movie. Seymore, a student who is close to one of our heroes, killed himself as the result of homophobic bullying. Playing the bullying in the movie for comedy undercuts is obvious and very real danger to the students not to mention to young adults watching the film.
There's a lot of "comic" bits with Pegg playing a lovelorn teacher whose girlfriend has gone to the Sudan to treat children. It serves absolutely no point within the movie and isn't original or funny. It's painful to see someone like Pegg, who is usually so deft with his performances, be saddled with such hackneyed dreck.
Frost doesn't fare much better as a tree hugger/drug dealer living in the forest. His role at least has something to do with the plot, but there's a lot more "comedy" about him being on drugs than pertinent information about how he's involved in this.
Sheen, as the greedy headmaster who needs even more money than the exceedingly affluent parents can provide, is at least mildly amusing.
Basically, despite all the talent, give this one a miss.
posted by miss-lapin at 9:27 PM on October 29, 2020 [1 favorite]