What do you do when on a nice long weekend you and your friend go out to mountains to see your new vacation home? You plan to spend the time fixing and cleaning it all up. Then out of nowhere everything is turned upside down by the craziest people on earth. Sex crazed college kids are there to ruin your weekend by calling you a homicidal hillbilly. Let the hijinks ensue!
See what you just read there might sound like a random lost episode of Scooby Doo meets Laurel and Hardy but it’s not. It’s Tucker and Dale vs Evil, which is possibly the funniest parody of slasher films to date since Scream. Much like the set up to this article Tucker, played by Alan Tudyk, mostly known for the character of Wash on Firefly/Serenity and his best friend Dale, played by Tyler Labine are two nice Hillbillies who just bought their dream vacation home in the woods of West Virginia. On the drive there they run into a bunch of college kids on a camping trip to the same woods. The college kids think the two hillbillies are dangerous and scary. Later on when one of the college kids injures herself falling in a lake at night Tucker and Dale helps her and takes her back to their cabin to treat her wounds. Her friends however think that the two Hillbillies have kidnapped her and plan on killing her so they make an attempt to get her back by any means necessary. Their attempt to take her back from the willing and nice Tucker and Dale lead to some really gory misunderstandings.
Alan Tudyk and Tyler Labine are a complete joy to watch on-screen as this classic duo, almost Looney Tunes in nature. Tudyk plays Tucker as the smaller, has it all figured out leader of the duo that won’t be stopped from enjoying his vacation home or giving Dale his words of wisdom on things. Dale is a very loveable oaf of sorts in movie. You can barely believe he can hurt a fly which just adds to humor of these college kids thinking he’s some slasher like leatherface. This is great move for Labine who is started to be typecast as the sarcastic bro in a lot of his other roles. Katrina Bowden plays Allison, the girl who Tucker and Dale help. She’s pretty good in this movie. Her performance is reminiscent of Cameron Diaz in There’s Something About Mary in way she comes off as down to earth, very likable and not afraid to look a bit silly.
In the end this was a very surprising film that was lots of fun. Had a nice bit of gore. And a ton of heart. If at any time you have enjoyed a slasher film from the late 70s and early 80s to the resurgence of the early 00s then you should enjoy this great send up of the genre. Tucker and Dale will give you a good time at the movies.
Final Grade : B
Originally published on Reel Film News