Items | ‘Bloody Wedding’ is a comedy horror you MUST check out

Before directing the acclaimed fifth chapter of the ‘Scream’ saga, the names of Matt Bettinelli-Olpin and Tyler Gillett weren’t yet well-known within the mainstream scene – but the duo had invested effort in bringing the images back found glory in the not-too-distant past with the anthology feature film ‘V/H/S’. And, before plunging headlong into the Ghostface mythology, immortalized by Wes Craven, the filmmakers have joined forces for one of the most incredible and bizarre horror-comedies of recent years – and one that’s a great choice for next Halloween.

In ‘Bloody Wedding’, Samara Weaving leaves her usual teenage performance (seen in Netflix’s trashy tragicomedy ‘The Babysitter’) and indulges in something much more structured, while having extreme fun with the incarnation of Grace, a young woman terrified of getting married. Alex (Mark O’Brien), heir to Le Domas, son of a wealthy family who built their empire on classic board and card games. After all, she believes the other family members look down on her for not having “enough blue blood” to become a member of this imperious clan – not that she really cares. In fact, Grace and Alex are already enjoying an immersive intimacy that seems straight out of a fairy tale.

The atmosphere changes dramatically when the couple exchange their vows and Grace is invited to participate in a small initiation, a tradition common to all new members of the clan: at midnight, in the music room, she must participate in a game chosen by a small box built by the late Mr. Le Bail, an unknown figure who is apparently responsible for bringing in and maintaining the family’s immense wealth. So, she ends up taking a card that says everyone must play “hide and seek”, with the girl hiding and being the target of the rest of the group. The problem is that, contrary to what she may imagine, her in-laws and brothers-in-law are actually hunting her to perform a satanic ritual until sunrise – to stay alive and renew their demonic vows of good. fortune.

From the outset, the directors invite us into a deliberately anachronistic setting, set in a Victorian mansion whose historic construction extends to the clothing of the protagonists – and the weapons they choose to go after Grace. It’s even fun to talk about how this chronological disparity plays out on the big screen, since we have, in one place, contemporary security camera technology alongside age-old crossbows and rifles. Thankfully, the art team’s care with these intentional details is what keeps the production from giving in to amateurish mistakes – even more allied to the mastery of imagery promoted by Olpin and Gillett.

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That’s not all that grabs our attention: Weaving’s dramatic and hilarious performance reflects a character who, with the arrival of the third act, is moved by the force of hatred and the need to escape from a psychotic and meaningless family nucleus. Although at first we are presented with superficial constructions, the secondary actors are confined to understandable and specific behavior, such as the solemnity of Tony (Henry Czerny), the narcotic madness of Emilie (Melanie Scrofano) or the snobbish looks of the socialite Charity (Élysée Lévesque). ). But it’s Andie MacDowell who co-stars with Weaving, bringing the matriarch Becky to life – who, in a madcap arc, turns out to be friends with Grace to stab her in the back to protect the one she truly loves. (or what you really like: your wealth).

It is true that at very specific times, the little more than ninety minutes can drag on in certain sequences that are too long or useless for understanding the story; the exploration of the labyrinthine mansion, even, could take on more importance at the expense of some dialogue that only exists as filler. However, there’s no denying that the screenplay itself (signed by the minds of Guy Busick and horrific workaholic Ryan Murphy) plays with explicit and bloody ideas that turn every frame into a gory spectacle that will undoubtedly culminate. in the future cult movie status the work will gain – in fact, I wouldn’t be surprised if the iteration in question gained a legion of fans in a very short time.

The cohesive narrative doesn’t abandon horror or comedy, as already mentioned – and, despite moving towards a conventional ending that purges the sins committed by the antagonistic family, it ends with an unexpected climax that makes us laugh more. only gasps of shock. . Sure, cliches pop up from time to time, but they’re welcome in fertile territory that doesn’t value originality, so to speak (the film doesn’t intend to revolutionize the genre, but to deconstruct it with rebellious aesthetic pinches). And that is perhaps its biggest and best feature.

“Bloody Wedding” is a delicious and bizarre adventure that builds on an initially innocent tradition, which turns into a dangerous pursuit to satisfy otherworldly desires. Loaded with incredible performances from Weaving and MacDowell, the film is delightful in its entirety – and indeed, no scene will be as iconic as that of Grace holding a shotgun in her hand and trying to shoot the butler.

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