PopHorror Let's Get Scared
Following Alfred Hitchcock’s ’60s classic, Psycho, the horror slasher subgenre was born. As terrors such as Michael Myers and Jason Voorhees hacked their way through decades of cinematic horror, an array of inspired smash hit comedic spoofs emerged. Films such as Scary Movie, Creep, and Tucker & Dale Vs. Evil became a niche, tickling funny bones of genre fans far and wide. Five years ago, Filmmaker Brandon Bassham, screenwriter of #Shakespeare’s Shitstorm (read our review here), released his own slasher parody through Troma Entertainment called The Slashening. Bassham has now returned with a vengeance, releasing his latest Trom-tastic delight, a sequel to his aforementioned slasher parody, Slashening: The Final Beginning, another oddly appropriate Troma title for this year we call 2020.
If you haven’t seen The Slashening (2015), be not afraid, my fellow degenerates. I haven’t yet had the pleasure myself, yet I was able to follow Slashening: The Final Beginning with absolute clarity. With narration help from Carl Foreman Jr. (Search Party series) in the opening sequence as Greg, we’re given the rundown of the brutal murders that took place in The Slashening. Unfortunately for Greg and his friends, the murders took place in the same house in which the horrendous tale is being told. After a humorous Scary Movie-esque bloodbath ensues, we’re introduced to Madison Santangeli (Addie Weyrich: Crashing series) who is traumatically link to the Long Island Slashening Murders that took place 5 years ago.
Seeking therapeutic support, Madison hopes to finally make peace with the passing of her father. Owner of a pizzeria, Papa Santangeli (Rob Webber: Preoccupied) unknowingly sent pizza delivery boys to their deaths during the Long Island murder spree. After the entire staff was sent to the murder house, Madison’s papa realized his employees weren’t merely putting in their two weeks notice unannounced. Burdened by the humorously tragic fate of guilt-plagued Papa, Madison now seeks comfort 5 years later attending a support group lead by Long Island Slashening survivor Pat (Patrick Foy: The Slashening).
What could possibly go wrong with a group comprised of a hipster addict, a reality questioning psychonaut, two shallow social media queens, a fake self-aware privileged cis white male, a woman with rage issues, a mourning father, and a mourning daughter all lead by a one-eyed trauma victim? We soon find out when the burlap sack donning slashening killer joins the party. As the body count rises, his victims learn he is not here to talk about his feelings. Or is he?
In true Troma style, Bassham brings to life racy, raunchy ridiculousness seasoned with comedic elements found in #Shakespeare’s Shitstorm. Featuring booze, boobs, drugs, and blood, Slashening: The Final Beginning doesn’t skimp out on the slasher subgenre essentials. And it gives several subtle nods to some of our beloved subgenre hits. However, it wouldn’t be a Troma release without the quirky, comedic moments such as a field sobriety test before consensual intercourse or the docking an uncircumcised penis. Troma founder Lloyd Kaufman also makes a hilarious cameo as Master Dyson, instructing a brief self-defense martial arts class before hurrying away to his rickshaw before the parking meter runs out.
In all honesty, the entire cast gives an excellent performance. Weyrich is both loveable as a lead and a badass as a potential final girl. Jack Frederick (On the Sidewalk) is hilarious as Scott, the awkward hipster drug addict who found salvation in creating music. Colin O’Brien (Oblivion) is a trip as the psychonaut named Link. He’s a trip … get it? Anyway, Jean Louise O’Sullivan (Fiancé Killer) as Viv and Jaime Lutz (The Bride of Murdery Heights series) as Bex are annoyingly fantastic as entitled, social media-obsessed trust fund babies without a clue.
McManus Woodend also adds a humorous touch as Dylan who acknowledges his white male privilege while using it to hit on women as they tell him to fuck off. Madonna Refugia (Blast) is somehow both frightening and hysterical as Cher who definitely has the temperament of a masked killer. Marcus Bishop-Wright (Fear Town, USA) impressively balances seriousness and comedy as Ben, which doesn’t go unnoticed. And Foy is not only fantastic in his role as the glue attempting to hold this group together, but he is also the centerpiece to one of the stickiest scenes in this wild ride. How Bassham was able to get Foy and Refugia to do this particular scene, I will never know.
Poking fun at over intellectualization, narcissism, ultra-PC culture and pseudo-sophistication while giving a pervy sex offender a gruesome end, The Final Beginning is the type of slasher parody Troma fans never knew they wanted. From trust fund millennials receiving a slashening-check to bizarre use of genitals and a vomit-inducing scene or two, there’s no shortage of craziness leaving you with the “WTF did I just watch” feeling we all know so well in Tromaville. And I wouldn’t have it any other way.
