Horror comedies often struggle to balance their respective genres. If the horror doesn’t play off the comedy, or vice versa, it can feel unbalanced and awkward. There are a handful of standouts in this subgenre, but it is oversaturated with movies that fail to find their footing. Finding a horror comedy that works well in both aspects is like a sweet treat that you, and audiences, can relish long after its release. Writer/director Matthew John Lawrence brings such a balance to his third feature film.
Bloody Axe Wound follows Abbie Bladecut (Sari Arambulo), a teenager who lives a life stranger than most kids in town: her father, Roger Bladecut (Billy Burke), is a slasher killer. Roger owns a video store called Real to Reel, which consists of tapes of his killings. After a turn of events, Roger realizes he needs a successor. Eventually, Roger lets Abbie take a swing at killing. Before Abbie starts, she must learn her father’s three rules: 1) work fast and get out, 2) never let them see your face, and 3) give the people a show. Once Roger turns his sights on Abbie’s new friends, she quickly learns that there may be a fourth rule…don’t fall in love.
Produced by Hilarie Burton Morgan and Jeffrey Dean Morgan, Bloody Axe Wound is a truly exceptional coming-of-age horror comedy. Matthew John Lawrence’s script shines amongst the brutally bloody practical effects; the film delights both visually and storywise. Writer Matthew John Lawrence finds a way to tell a coming-of-age story that can connect with those who have already come of age. Between the sweeter moments of Lawrence’s story are harsh bites of reality that bring the viewer back to the truth of the matter, adolescence sucks, and that even through generational traumas, we can still find out who we really are.
Don’t let my sappiness fool you, Bloody Axe Wound dumps enough gallons of blood to make even a gorehound smile. And thankfully there are more than just Axe Wounds. While we do get exciting axe swings, Lawrence brings enough creativity to his kills to keep the violence entertaining and fresh. The setting of a town stuck in a macabre serial killer’s world where slayings seemingly go unpunished is a fascinating angle. It’s interesting and original enough that not a single second of its 83-minute runtime drags. It also helps that Sari Arambulo and Molly Brown (Sam Crane) are spectacular leads.
Bloody Axe Wound plays on the tropes of slasher films while not relegating itself to a parody/satire nature. Full of laughs, gore, and heart, Bloody Axe Wound is a success on all fronts. And there’s a fun cameo from producer Jeffrey Dean Morgan! Bloody Axe Wound hits select theaters on December 27 and, being a Shudder-acquired film, will surely hit the streaming service soon after that.
