TRICK ‘R TREAT – REVIEW

The anticipation of the long-delayed Michael Dougherty horror film, Trick R Treat can easily be compared to the eagerness a lovesick teenage boy has when trying to have sex with his virginal high school sweetheart.  The prolonged wait seemed unbearable and upsetting after hearing how others have already popped this cherry years ago and are still bragging about their “finger-cuff” worthy conquests to this very day.  Although like the high school sweetheart, the film has acquired a certain magnetism that’s like a distant promise to the worthy and to the brave, that all one could do was to sigh and to remain waiting until Warner Brothers decided it was time for this beast to re-open its legs.

Finally at this year’s Fantasia Film Festival in Montreal, the proverbial blue balls of many horror geeks were finally relieved as the time had arrived to unlock this reborn virgin’s chastity belt.  The results of the drawn out wait also did not prove to be neither premature nor disappointing. Like David Silver or Nick Lachey would say, ‘it was well worth the wait.’

Michael Dougherty has definitely outdone himself as he has skillfully crafted the Pulp Fiction of horror anthologies.  Instead of taking the four separate stories and splicing them together with only a ghastly narrator`s introduction as the sole connection to the stories, Trick ‘R Treat is a broken-narrative tale following five different stories that all take place on Halloween night.

From the film`s prompt yet brutal opening sequence with an unknown being viciously killing a Halloween-hating wife, it immediately launches into a fast-paced story dealing with the grisly consequences and comeuppances that occur on this particular Halloween night.  Viewers are introduced to a murderous high school principal (played by Dylan Baker) who is late for a date, the principal`s miserable neighbour, Mr. Kregg (played by the great Brian Cox) who has a secret past, a group of kids all planning an elaborate prank on a socially inept girl, and a group of sexy dressed girls trying to get their virgin friend (played by Anna Paquin) laid by night`s end at a party in the woods.  All of these stories seem completely different from one another, yet just like an episode of Lost, Dougherty uses the same technique to interweave each character and story into each others, proving that this Halloween tale has planned far more surprises for the audience than initially expected.

Trick R Treat is by far the most viscerally effective horror anthology one has seen since Creepshow. Dougherty achieves this by successfully capturing the spirit of Halloween by setting an unsettling mood and tense atmosphere that perfectly aligns with the craftily scored pieces and the beautifully (yet eerily) shot cinematography used and shown throughout the film.  Although one should not give the writer and director all the credit, as a horror film of this calibre could not be as fun and frightening without its strong cast. Every actor (especially Baker and Cox) nailed it out of the park with their performances and Canuck viewers out there will also get a kick out of all the Canadian talent featured in this film, (*the movie was shot in Vancouver) including Dead Like Me’s Britt McKillip and Christine Willes.

Spoiling any of the special and gore effects would be an extreme disservice for future viewers, but let’s just say they far exceeded this reviewer’s expectations.  The effects even resurrected a movie monster’s image last seen shamelessly giving the middle finger onscreen. Finally, a horror film without the blatant CGI effects for a change!

Trick ‘R Treat is a film horror fans have been infatuated with for over two years now, and they will fall in love with it after watching it. (Personally, I fell in love with it after hearing Tony! Toni! Toné!’s “It Feels Good” song booming in the background. ) It is one of the most entertaining and clever horror films that does not deserve to be labelled as “straight to DVD” fare. In fact, the only reason I could think of as to  why the film has been pushed back for so long is the same reason why fans have yet to see a remake for Battle Royale and Who Can Kill A Child?–too much child killing!  Personally, I am glad to see Trick ‘R Treat not being exploited like Scream was. There will thankfully be no CW infused knock offs and hopefully it will turn into a cult film younger horror fans can discover and discuss about for years to come.

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