Lucas and Jenny think their life is finally coming together when the couple become homeowners. Little do they know that their new house comes with a big catch. Lucas and Jenny soon find themselves in a fight for their lives when they become trapped in a battle between their Homeowners Association and an onslaught of monsters from hell. The horror-comedy takes the timely concern of home-ownership and wraps this up in an entertaining action-packed thrill ride.
William Bagley’s monstrously funny horror-comedy, Hold the Fort is a delightful romp featuring a variety of colourful characters and chilling creatures. Starring the Ozark‘s Chris Mayers, Spookt’s Haley Leary and social media comedian Julian Smith, Hold the Fort brings us just over 70 minutes of blood-spurting action and unhinged humour wrapped up neatly in a fast-paced banger of a film. It’s genuinely that good.
While I usually find comparisons lazy, one needs to draw parallels to classics like Shaun of the Dead (2004), Cabin in the Woods (2011), Tucker and Dale vs. Evil (2010) and really any of the Evil Dead films. So many films try to fill those shoes and walk that walk, but many just end up schlocky and campy. Hold the Fort easily stands shoulder to shoulder with any of the aforementioned films, claiming a coveted space amongst the silly slaughter greats.
The standout character for me was definitely the HOA’s head, Jerry (Julian Smith). Jerry has an almost Ned Flanders personality that carries a lot of the plot of the film as well as the sense of humour. He had me in stitches for a solid portion of the movie. Levi Burdick and Tordy Clark (Ted and Leslie, respectively) also helped shape the film’s tone. The cast was really well-assembled and all involved seemed to be really enjoying their roles. You can’t help but smile at the film’s candour.
The obvious metaphor of what an average couple has to go through these days in order to own property in a nice neighbourhood was not lost on me, either. Having to murder your friends, slay witches, best werewolves, and defeat other unknowable terrors seems like a fair comparison to dealing with ever-increasing inflation, mortgages, and all the red tape and paperwork. I’m always impressed when creatives manage to sneak in so many clever messages and puns but still make the creature feature the focus without becoming too preachy. Hold the Fort tackles this almost effortlessly.
Now, this is not a serious film for moody people looking for a late-night horror snack. While the monsters are great and the effects gorgeously gory, this is definitely a comedy before it is a horror. This is not going to sate your desires for morbidity, but it will put a smile on your face and make you wish you’d bought more popcorn. It is pure entertainment from start to finish and all at a very fast pace as the action begins just minutes into the first act. If you are interested in the sillier side of the horror genre and enjoy a little tongue-in-cheek humour, don’t hestitate to check this one out. I had a great time with it.
Thanks for reading and as always, stay sordid. The Apple TV preorder link is here and I will add some other streaming options after the trailer and artwork.
