Review of Trick 'r Treat (2007) by J L — 07 Jun 2011

Why was this film sent straight-to-DVD? Even though the once maligned medium has recently begun to be understood in a new light, its still no match for the world of theatrical releases. While its release may befuddle me, what I do know is that, in spite of whatever reason it was given the straight-to-DVD stamp, Trick 'r Treat is a real surprise that deserves a wider audience than it will probably receive. It's a genuinely fun horror film that is better than most films in the horror genre, and it's also one of the best genre films of the past few years. It's a pity it never saw a theatrical release, but, at the very least, it'll probably make the rounds through many horror fans' DVD players come October for years to come.

Ever heard of Creepshow? Well, Trick 'r Treat plays kind of like that, being an anthology of four different Halloween-inspired stories, They're a little more connected this time out, because they all take place on the same night (naturally, October 31st), and some of the characters overlap, in addition to there being teases to the others to be found in all of the tales. But chances are if you like a Creepshow-styled sort-of-horror, sort-of-comedy, all-around-fun horror anthology, you'll probably enjoy what Michael Dougherty (co-screenwriter for Bryan Singer's X2 and Superman Returns) has cooked up now that he's taken control of the camera.

The first story stars Dylan Baker as a rather insane school principal and Brett Kelly (the kid from Bad Santa) as a student who steals candy from him and must suffer his principalian wrath. The second involves a mean prank gone wrong when five kids venture to a rock quarry where a bus of handicapped students died years ago. The third has Anna Paquin as a 22-year-old virgin who is stalked by what appears to be a vampire. The final segment stars Brian Cox as a cantankerous elderly man who lives alone and is assaulted by the film's mascot, Sam (who appears on the DVD cover and in every segment), when he scares away trick-or-treaters instead of giving out candy.

The film clearly has a reverence for Halloween throughout, with numerous references to jack-o-lanterns, a spooky yet old-school atmosphere, and even a few rules of Halloween that are hinted at or in some cases overtly mentioned (Who wants to guess what happens when some of those rules are broken?). There's also a more overt reference to Creepshow's comic book origins in the film's finale. More importantly though, the film just captures the feeling of Halloween throughout, being scary, but in a fun way, with a wink and a nod and dark humor thrown in for flavor. It's not really a watch-at-midnight-with-the-lights-out kind of film. It's really more of a hanging-out-with-you-friends-in-the-living-room-with-some-popcorn kind of experience, and, for what it is, it's a lot of fun. It's also got balls (just because someone is a kid, it doesn't mean they'll live) which is a welcome addition as well.

Even though Trick 'r Treat isn't especially scary, it ultimately makes up for this by being a lot of fun. There's plenty of good-old-fashioned suspense to be found, primarily in the sequence involving the children and the one involving Brian Cox, and there's genuine humor too, with the school principal sequence being the most darkly humorous. It's all gallows stuff to be sure, but that fits with the tone of the film and makes Trick 'r Treat a good horror movie to watch if you're looking for a good time. It's well-directed, has some deliciously over-the-top performances, is nicely goofy but also strangely low-key, and has the perfect tone (I'm a sucker for a movie that hits just the right tone, and Trick 'r Treat is a good example of how to cross two genres with equal attention paid to both). It's a love-letter to Halloween, and Halloween has always been more about the fun of being scared than actually being scared. Trick 'r Treat gives you a similar experience, and because of this, it's definitely worth a look for any fan of horror who also enjoys a little sinister humor.

Rating: 8.0/10.