Buy Melissa a coffee!
Always a sucker for a good horror-comedy, DeadTectives on Shudder was hard to pass up. The premise was reminiscent of the live-action Scooby-Doo movie meets Ghost Hunters, however this one isn’t geared towards kids. The film is the first full feature from director and writer Tony West, and co-writer David Clayton Rogers.
The story follows a team of reality TV ghost hunters who are on the brink of cancellation. Far from their humble beginnings working to debunk paranormal experiences, they now create elaborate shows to fake the evidence. When they travel to Mexico to investigate a haunted mansion, up to their usual tricks, they get more than they bargained for as they come face to face with real, vengeful spirits.
Before the opening bit was even over, I had tears of laughter. It is obvious that Tony West had a history of writing comedy, having written for The Soup, hosted by Joel McHale, in the past. Common tropes from found footage horror films and reality TV ghost hunting shows were cleverly presented in truly hilarious ways. A great example of this was the demonic-sounding voice changer, which was used for perfectly-timed gags. Although the horror is never taken too seriously, DeadTectives does offer up some spooky scares, and even a bit of gore.
The cast is delightfully quirky, and the core group of investigators have a chemistry that works. There are over-the-top performances and scenes, some downright cheesy, but it’s all in good fun and never feels out of place.
If DeadTectives has flown under your radar since its release on Shudder last year, it is absolutely worth checking out. Especially for those who can enjoy a hefty dose of comedy with their horror. The ending does allow for a sequel to be made, and let’s hope that it happens because I would love to see more insane ghostly antics from this bunch.
Related Article: Review: ‘Zombieland: Double Tap’ on Blu-Ray
Buy Melissa a coffee!
