The horror genre is no stranger to killer inanimate objects, as we have seen a snowman, dolls, cars, and even a tire all slash their way through films. Now, the sub-genre is making room for its next entry, Killer Sofa (although, to be fair, it is more of a recliner). Written and directed by Bernardo Rao, the film stars Jed Brophy, Sarah Munn, Stacy King, and Harley Neville.
In our initial trailer announcement, we described the New Zealand film’s premise as “exactly what it sounds likes,” however that’s not quite the case. While one would expect a horror movie titled Killer Sofa to be as ludicrous as the films referenced above, it takes a quite unexpected approach. The key art featuring a blood-stained, snarling recliner is a tad misleading, as the actual chair is way more subtle. There are some creepy and amusing moments as we see the button eyes get reflective and animated, or the recliner even make sexual advances (no, seriously), but anyone going into the film expecting an over-the-top chair beast may be sadly disappointed.
In fact, Killer Sofa goes in a completely unexpected, and oddly complex, direction that takes the focus off the chair itself. Of course, it is always better to go into a film clear of expectations, however that can be difficult when the title and art is consistently zany. While certainly not advocating for a story to be predictable, what we end up with feels like a completely different film by the end. It also takes itself too seriously overall for the premise.
With that being said, had those assumptions not been in place beforehand, it would have been easier to see it under a different light. There are some genuinely chilling moments, entertaining kills/attacks, and solid acting. The story would still seem a bit too convoluted, but perhaps easier to digest. To be clear, director Bernardo Rao did not give us a bad film, just one that felt like a bait-and-switch.
Killer Sofa will release on DVD and Digital from High Octane Pictures on October 1st.
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“Bait-and-switch” is right. The movie almost immediately dives into a series of twists and subplots that I honestly think the film could’ve done without. That being said, I wouldn’t mind getting a follow-up.