Review of Cooties (2014) by Brett B — 02 Jan 2016

A fun horror-comedy romp, COOTIES is the latest entry in the under-utilized "killer kids" subgenre. Although the horror elements of the movie work well, the movie is far more a comedy than anything else, boasting a really funny and eclectic cast of characters, each well-drawn and memorable.

They're all heightened "types," but the performers are clearly very game and know exactly what kind of movie they're in. As the ostensible hero, Elijah Wood is fantastic, and he makes for a solid everyman lead (with some pretty relatable baggage) who finds himself in this very over-the-top situation.

The screenplay (co-written by co-star Leigh Whannell) is strong, with a near perfect first act and a pace that moves along at nicely swift clip, yet still has time for some legitimate character moments and even hints of some thematic substance.

As the film moves into its third act, the script finds ways to use the basic premise (teachers locked in a school with rabid children) and do some clever things with it, including fun usage of the school's geography.

However, the big pleasure of the movie is truly the interplay between all the characters; none of them particularly feel like people you'd encounter in the real world (and some of them you very definitely wouldn't), but watching them bounce off each other - and evade ravenous hordes of zombie-ish kids - is quite entertaining.