A cinematic homage to all things horror, with its gallons of gore and bestiary of hideous space creatures, it has all the trappings of a future cult classic.
Imagine if some kids from the suburbs were in control of an infinitely demonic being and could make him do whatever they want, while affectionately naming him ‘Psycho Goreman’, just for fun.
When two kids, Mimi (Nita-Josee Hanna) and Luke (Owen Myer) unearth a magical gem, they unwittingly unleash an ancient evil alien from the planet Gigax who is intent on destroying the universe. But the alien’s diabolical plans are foiled by the sibling duo because whoever holds the gem controls the evil being.
As the title suggests, there’s gore and buckets of it; red, filthy, oozy, squelchy grossness. Blood, guts and goo gushing with pulsating brains and flesh-hungry zombies. Not for the squeamish, Psycho Goreman is a satisfying slime-slathered riot for fans of the classic ’80s splatter fest.
This Canadian horror comedy romp, written and directed by Steven Kostanski, reeks of ’80s and ’90s creature features. It follows the ‘kids in peril’ scenario recently popularised by Stranger Things, which in turn borrowed from so many great ’80s movies including The Gate, from which Psycho Goreman takes plenty of cues.
It’s a love letter to everything horror from Hellraiser and Wishmaster to TerrorVision, The Evil Dead, The Toxic Avenger and some kind of demented incarnation of The Power Rangers.
The kids do a great job in their roles with Hanna as Mimi the megalomaniacal tween whose level of spoiled can subjugate the darkest, most evil being in the galaxy, and Myre’s Luke serving as her downtrodden, slightly nerdy brother.
Adam Brooks plays the dysfunctional dad and Alexis Kara Hancey the mum, their awkward marital relationship bringing a shade of black humour throughout.
Psycho Goreman, played by Matthew Ninaber and voiced by Steven Vlahos, is a memorable creature with plenty of screen time and great dialogue. But the main event is the fantastic creature design and practical effects, as we are introduced to a host of unusual intergalactic characters intent on becoming Earth’s alien overlords.
It comes as no surprise, considering Kostanski has previously co-directed 2016’s practical effects heavy horror, The Void as well as having worked on Star Trek: Discovery, It, Suicide Squad and Crimson Peak as a prosthetic and special effects make-up artist.
But Psycho Goreman has heart too, and not just the kind its titular monster rips out of people’s chests. Its got a dumb sweetness about it as the essence of pure evil becomes part of this imperfect modern family.
A cinematic homage to all things horror, with its gallons of gore and bestiary of hideous space creatures, it has all the trappings of a future cult classic.
Horror-comedy meets creature feature with splashes of silly science fiction, B-Movie mayhem, retro homage and everything in between, Psycho Goreman is big dumb gory fun for big kids.
Psycho Goreman is out now on DVD via Umbrella Entertainment.
