The Slayers

Director - John Williams (Crispy's Curse, Mothertown)

Starring - Darren McAree (There's Something in the Shadows, Dead Town), Matthew Sandland (Beneath Still Water, The Director), and George Newton (Predator Dark Ages, Whiteblade)

Release Date - 2015

Genre - Horror/Comedy

Tagline - "2 men, 2 weeks to live, too many vampires"

Format - DVD (Personal Collection) (Screener)

Rating (out of 5):

     I fucking love a good horror comedy that finds a fun balance between horror and comedy.  Films like Evil Dead II, Tucker and Dale vs. Evil, Dead Alive, and so many more has entertained thousands if not millions of fans over the years with their unique blend of horror and comedy.  A few weeks back I saw that MVD was handling the release of Wild Eye's The Slayers.  I'm familiar with John Williams after reviewing his film Mothertown sometime ago so I was really curious about this one. I reached out to MVD and they were kind enough to send this one over.  Like always, I want to thank MVD and Wild Eye for always supporting Horror Society and allowing us the opportunity to review their films.  

     The film follows two nitwits who are part of a doomsday cult.  When the other members of the cult kill themselves they decide to not to and spend the next two weeks checking off their bucket list.  They buy an old bus and make out on a trip across the UK where they find themselves in Scotland where they cross paths with a stranger.  After an incident they suspect he is a vampire and decide to follow him where they watch a vampire hunter kill him.  Soon they are tossed in the middle of a war between the living dead and a small band of vampire slayers. 

     The Slayers is not the film I was expecting but I had a lot of fun with it.  The humor worked and the horror, though light, was still very entertaining.  The film is a little heavy on the humor but it is still charming and fun.  I can see some of the more hardcore and blood hungry genre fans not caring for this one but those of you that are more focused on story and character development you will really enjoy it. The acting in this one really surprised me.  The supporting cast is all in and deliver some very enjoyable performances.  A lot of the character stood out and the cast was phenomenal in their roles.  With that being said, Darren McAree and Matthew Sandland are the stars of the show.  Their portrayal of the two idiots that are part of a doomsday cult is fucking hilarious.  I really enjoyed the energy they brought to the film and their characters are so much fun.   The story for this one is simple but I enjoyed it.  Two idiots find themselves in the middle of an ancient war between vampires and slayers.  I liked it but some of you may not enjoy a film that is more humor than horror.  The horror aspect takes the backseat through a lot of the film in the same way that it does in Lesbian Vampire Killers.  I enjoyed it and found it funny but only about 70 percent of the jokes found their marks.  I would have loved to see a little more focus on the horror and a little less on the jokes that felt forced.  Finally, the film has some funny gags with plenty of blood and some visuals that didn't look too bad.  Most films with this kind of budget usually employs some of the worst visuals imaginable but this one doesn't.  They looked decent for what they were and the practical effects did as well.  Overall, The Slayers is an enjoyable indie horror comedy that may not be for everyone but if you enjoy the light side of the genre then you will love this one.  Check it out now on DVD from Wild Eye Releasing.