Starring: Mia Goth, Jenna Ortega, Martin Henderson, Brittany Snow, Owen Campbell, Stephen Ure, and Scott Mescudi

Directed by Ti West

A24, out now

 

A group of young film-makers make a porno movie in a desolate farmhouse in 1970s Texas.

Ti West’s (House of the Devil) extreme horror movie is a love letter to slasher and grindhouse movies of the 70s and 80s, wearing its influences well and truly on its sleeve. Indeed, a diehard horror fan can have great fun in ticking off references to everything from The Texas Chain Saw Massacre, Friday the 13th, American Gothic, Eaten Alive and Motel Hell. And that’s just for starters!

The movie begins with a lovely little trick, suggesting that the movie is shot in square aspect ratio, while it’s actually the frame of a door. We’re at the scene of a bloodbath, so we know that things are going to go south in a bad way. It’s then 24 hours before and we watch the naive young film makers make their way to a farm where they’re going to shoot their adult movie. They show no respect to their hosts, an elderly couple, and are soon filming their porn.

From hereon in, bad things happen, with inventive death scenes and some moments of extreme bad taste that will leave you gasping and chuckling at the same time. It’s a riot, and you’ll have a ball if you can stomach the adult material.

Verdict: A throwback horror movie that throws thrills, laughs and viscera at you in equal measures. What a rush. 9/10

Nick Joy