Starring: Milo Cawthorne, James Blake, Kimberley Crossman, Sam Berkley, Daniel Cresswell, Delaney Tabron, Stephen Ure
Director: Jason Lei Howden
Writer: Jason Lei Howden
Running time: 90 minutes
Rated: None (contains extreme graphic violence, language, nudity)
Reviewed by Michael Juvinall – Horror Society
Deathgasm is in theaters and VOD on October 2nd from Dark Sky Films
Horror and heavy metal – they’ve went hand in hand since metal’s inception. They’re both two sides of the same coin, they go together like peanut butter and chocolate, death & taxes, marriage and divorce, and you get the idea. Countless horror films feature heavy metal soundtracks. They permeate almost every other horror film that comes out. It’s the same in comparison as a great many heavy metal bands use horror as the inspiration for their lyrics and music. I’m almost willing to say you can’t have one without the other, which is why the upcoming new horror film, Deathgasm is such a treat for fans of both genres.
Deathgasm is writer and director Jason Lei Howden’s first feature film. He was a visual effects artist for Weta Digital and brings that magic knowledge to the table for this film. The film was shot in New Zealand, which seems to be a breeding ground for great filmmakers, especially those in the horror genre. Howden obviously has an affinity for heavy metal music and horror as they are both showcased equally in this film.
Brodie (Milo Cawthorne) is a teenager sent to live with his Uncle, since his mum wound up in an insane asylum and his dad’s dead. He’s in a new home, new town, and new high school with no friends. Brodie’s only outlet from the insanity around him is his love of heavy metal music. At a local record store, Brodie runs into Zakk (James Blake), a fellow metal enthusiast and outcast. The two quickly bond and become brothers from another mother. They decide to form a metal band with a couple Dungeon and Dragon outcasts, Dion & Giles and call themselves Deathgasm.
Brodie finds some accursed sheet music from an old metal band and the group decides to play it in their band. When Brodie plays the music, he unwittingly summons a satanic entity named Aeloth The Blind One. It is said that whoever plays the cursed music gains ultimate power. Brodie decides to use this power to get back at all who have wronged and bullied him as well as gain the heart of the school beauty, Medina (Kimberley Crossman). While Brodie’s family and classmates become possessed by demons, Brodie realizes he’s made a mistake and along with his bandmate’s and Medina, tries to stop Aeloth from bringing Hell to Earth.
Deathgasm is hilarious gore drenched homage to films like Peter Jackson’s Braindead aka Dead Alive and Sam Raimi’s Evil Dead. It also offers a funny and sincere look at the teenage heavy metal subculture of today. Even though the film takes place in New Zealand, these could be any metalhead teenagers in the world. Metal fans like me can relate to Brodie and Zakk and can empathize as to maybe why some kids use heavy metal as an escape from a less than perfect high school culture.
The star of this film for many will be the mostly practical makeup effects used. To say that Deathgasm is a gorefest is an understatement. The blood flows so freely here, I would love to know how many umpteen gallons of grue were used. The film lovingly creates so many practical gore gags that any gorehound will leave the theater grinning from ear to ear.
The only real critical comment I can make towards the film is some viewers may find the first quarter of the movie a little slow as it introduces and builds character development, but this is essential to create characters we really care about.
Overall, Deathgasm is a hoot! It’s a film that metalheads and horror fans alike will flock to and embrace with open arms. It’s a perfect date movie that’s a helluva lot of fun. The film has been getting some really great buzz at festivals and now I can see why. Deathgasm is the ultimate heavy metal horror film and gets it right in so many ways!
4 out of 5 Pentagrams!
Watch the trailer here,
