When does an homage to poorly-made
B-movies stop being an homage and actually become a B-movie
itself? Such is the unavoidable dilemma that keeps me from
praising Jack Brooks: Monster Slayer, an inoffensive,
well-meaning cornball of a monster flick that exists in large
part to pay dues to the Ed Woods of the film industry’s past. On
one hand, the movie nails its genre on the forehead,
structurally and tonally capturing the joyful silliness of the
monster-movies that have come before it. On the contrary,
however, this mastery of style only wins the movie a minimal
entertainment-value. By the time that Jack Brooks: Monster
Slayer reaches its third act, viewers will have long tired
of its embrace/semi-parodying of monster-movie conventions. At a
certain point, the film ultimately cements itself as a
replication of its inspirations rather than an ode to them.
I think we can all agree that nobody needs another stock
1950s/'80s creature-feature to add to the already gargantuan
library.
The movie’s
plot thankfully keeps things simple—the results are usually
disastrous when this type of picture gets overcomplicated—but
unfortunately doesn’t add much to the mix in the way of
interesting visuals, fresh character-traits, or thoughtful
themes. In other words: it’s largely a straight-up send-off to
its monster-movie counterparts in terms of content. The
protagonist is the titular Jack Brooks (Trevor Matthews), a
plumber and nighttime city-college student who harbors a great
anger problem due to the brutal, unresolved death of his family
via monster at a young age. Jack’s frustrations, however, may
just be on their way to finding a much-needed outlet that his
off-again-on-again psychiatrist Dr. Silverstein (Daniel Cash)
has never been able to find for them. The young man is one night
asked to fix the piping in his elusive science professor’s
(Robert Englund) out-in-the-sticks, hilltop home, a deed that he
hopes will add a few points onto his failing-grade in the class.
The problem, however, turns out to be a lot more than just
pipes; rather, it’s an ages-old curse that very well may breed
some monsters of its own. With a tragic, vengeance-needing past
in tow, Jack proves the perfect guy to take said monsters on.
Jack
Brooks: Monster Slayer, despite the shortcomings of its
story, does contain a few redeeming features that allow it to
remain a semi-diverting experience. The most valuable asset the
movie is able to boast is the presence of the always-reliable
horror-actor Robert Englund, whose performance encapsulates the
movie’s best quality: its balance of straightforward narrative
mythology and silly tonal playfulness. Englund is able to play
Jack’s professor, Crowley, straight enough that he maintains the
character’s place in the story, but also goofy enough so as to
allow an ample amount of dependable gross-out moments related to
his character’s inevitable physical-transformation in the film’s
second act. (One passage involving vomit earns the obligatory “Agghhs!”)
Matching Englund most of the way is lead Trevor Matthews who,
sans a few blown lines, is also able to keep the aforementioned
balance in check. Also on the movie’s side is that it only runs
for eighty-five minutes, a petite duration that never allows it
to cross over into the realm of painful viewing experiences.
But alas, the
movie ultimately succumbs to the clichéd and unadventurous
nature that most monster-movies do. As I watched the film lock
itself into a state of mediocrity as it progressed, I couldn’t
help but regret that co-writer/director Jon Knautz didn’t step
up to provide the project the sense of originality that it
desperately needed. It’s actually something of a shame that
Jack Brooks: Monster Slayer’s content is as stale as it is;
had the movie had an identifiable purpose for existing beyond
mere simulacrum, its stylistic components would’ve largely
supported a successful and engaging effort.
-Danny Baldwin, Bucket Reviews
Review Published on: 8.14.2008
Screened on: 8.12.2008 at home on a
screener DVD.
