Jacob's Little Helper

Director - Richard Russell (A Family Matter, Dinner Guest)

Starring - Heather Bayless (Workplace Romance, Powerball), Anna Dutilly (Virus, Scavengers), and James L. Edwards (Bloodletting, Hell Van)

Release Date - 2024

Genre - Horror/Comedy

Format - Streaming (Online Screener)

Rating (out of 5):

     It's not often that I get to review horror parodies, but I will jump at the opportunity each and every time it presents itself. Many years ago, I was fortunate enough to review the 80s slasher parody Student Bodies when it was released on blu. It was a beautiful parody of the slasher films of the late 70s and 1980. Not too long after that I was sent over several steelbook releases for the unforgettable Shaun of the Dead to review. This parody/love letter to Romero's Dead films is one of my favorite zombie flicks and probably the only romantic movie that I can watch on repeat. Just recently I was lucky enough to review the horror parody of Caddyshack appropriately titles Caddy Hack. I love parodies and frankly, I believe that we don't have enough horror parodies to enjoy. That is why I jumped at the opportunity to review Richard Russell's short Jacob's Little Helper. Like always, I want to thank Richard for sending this one over. 

      The film follows a young woman who is appearing on a talk show with declining numbers to discuss her relationship with a masked slasher that she has befriended. She has been with him for some time helping him become one of the best slashers in the business, but things became complicated between the two when she started dating his rival who kills teens in their sleep. Things go from being a friendly interview to deadly when the interviewer dons a mask and attempts to kill her in order to improve his declining ratings. 

      Jacob's Little Helper is a clever parody of Friday the 13th, A Nightmare on Elm St., and Nightbreed to a lesser extent. It makes great use of its short run time while not being short on imagination and creativity. I was surprised by how much I actually enjoyed this one. The acting in this one is very well done. James L. Edwards never disappoints. I've reviewed at least a dozen or so films that feature him and every one of them was very enjoyable. He's so natural in front of the camera and always gives it his all. I also enjoyed Heather Bayles' performance. Her character was very playful, and she did a fantastic job as well in front of the camera. The story for this one is a lot of fun with so much potential for other shorts with the groundwork already been laid before them. Having a female companion to a Jason like character who helps him become one of the top slashers is pretty clever. I loved the nod to Freddy with her dating the dream slasher and having the interviewer switch it up and become a masked slasher out of nowhere, similar to the doctor portrayed by Kronenberg in Nightbreed. You can tell Russell is a fan of these films and I seriously hope he can work in more parodies like this one in the future. Finally, the film has several deaths with some blood but don't expect large amounts of gore or a high body count. The short was clearly made on a very small budget and did the best they could with what they had. Overall, Jacob's Little Helper is not going to be the slasher you are expecting but it's a must see if you are fans of the sub-genre. I highly recommend checking this one out