Psycho Goreman (2021)

Streaming Services: Shudder
Movie Name/Year: Psycho Goreman (2021)
Genre: Comedy, Horror, Sci-Fi
Length:  96 minutes
Rating: Unrated
Production/Distribution: Dystopia Films, Raven Banner Entertainment, RLJE Films, Koch Films, La Aventura, Shudder, Umbrella Entertainment
Director: Steven Kostanski
Writer: Steven Kostanski
Actors: Nita-Josee Hanna, Owen Myre, Matthew Ninaber, Steven Vlahos, Adam Brooks, Alexis Kara Hancey, Kristen MacCulloch, Anna Tierney, Roxine Latoya Plummer, Alex Chung, Scout Flint, Robert Homer, Conor Sweeney, Matthew Kennedy, Rick Amsbury, Jayson Alexander, Kenneth Welsh, Asuka Kurosawa, Timothy Paul McCarthy, Stacie Gagnon, Rich Evans, Stuart Wellington, William O'Donnell, Jeff Derushie
 
Blurb from IMDb:  After unearthing a gem that controls an evil monster looking to destroy the Universe, a young girl and her brother use it to make him do their bidding.

Cat’s Point of View:
Psycho Goreman clocked in at #4 on my Top 20 Movies to Look Out for in May 2021 article. I anticipated quite the bonkers experience, and let me tell you – there was no shortage of insanity here. As you can imagine, I was extra excited to have the opportunity to view an advance screener of this film.
 
The good news is that Psycho Goreman lived up to the majority of my expectations. The movie is a love-letter to the low-fi horror movies of the 1980s, as represented through creature costuming and effects. Not only that, the film dabbles into the kids vs. monsters to save the world theme a bit – and then turns it on its head. Not to toot my own horn, but I was apparently on the nose when the trailer brought up thoughts of The Monster Squad (1987). The promotional materials we received with the screener listed that very movie as one of the inspirations for the type of film the production team was going for.

I have to say, this particular blend of comedy with horror and sci-fi worked really well for me. Understandably, this was more dark humor than anything. You couldn’t help but find amusement in the contrast of the world-destroying monster and the pair of kids that free him from his imprisonment. I was relieved that the trailer didn’t reveal all the best bits of banter.
 
Another comedic element that Psycho Goreman brings can be found in the costuming for both the titular character and the other monsters – both of his world and of his creation. The practical effects were intentionally hokey, it seems. Mouths didn’t move when creatures talked (or if they did, they didn’t articulate to match speech). Further, it was quite obvious in some cases where the prosthetics were made from rubber and latex, or something like that. I am sticking to the comparison that I made in the Top 20 article – the monsters reminded me a lot of the villains in Mighty Morphin Power Rangers (1993-1996).

If not for the level of fake blood and gore – over-exaggerated or not (and there’s lots of it– throughout the movie, Psycho Goreman could easily pass as PG-13 geared to older kids and adults. There are some personal growth and life-lesson messages buried in all this that you would expect from a film geared to that audience. While there’s prolific use of the word ‘frig’ in its various forms, replacing the F-bomb as kids (and adults trying to watch their language) tend to do, there were very few actual uses of ‘fuck.’ I honestly can only remember one. Violence in threat and physical action, gore, and language are the points one should take into consideration for letting a younger audience watch.
 
All told, Psycho Goreman was quite the experience of laughter, shock, cringe, and satisfaction. I thoroughly enjoyed this zany experience, and can’t wait to watch it again to see what my 17 year-old daughter thinks of it. She’s not always a fan of horror, but the effects are imaginative and silly enough that I think she’ll be able to get through it. Thankfully, we won’t have to wait too long.
 
Psycho Goreman can be found on Shudder starting May 20th.

 

Rotten Tomatoes Critic Score – 91%
Rotten Tomatoes Audience Score – 61%
Metascore – 69%
Metacritic User Score – 7.1/10
IMDB Score – 6.2/10
 

Trust the Dice: Cat’s Rating – 4/5
 
Trust-the-Dice’s Parental Advisory Rating: R
 
Movie Trailer: