If Evil Dead and Shaun of the Dead had a really weird kid.
Deathgasm is a rare film in that it does a good job being funny and staying true to the culture it is lampooning. Metalheads suffer some of the worst representation in film, and this movie does a bit to correct it.
The major story is about a special hymn that when played awakens a horrible demon. A couple young metalheads play the song in an effort to make it their own single. Once played, the townsfolk become demons, and all hell breaks loose as the band members must work to play the song in reverse to save the day.
The narrative is silly and absurdly gory. This movie brings out the splatter with glee, and the action scenes are both hilarious and gross (in a good way). Dildos as weapons, complete with slow motion shots, makes for a fairly unique viewing experience.
Where the movie really shines is that the creators clearly are (or are close friends with) metalheads. The teenage angst, cult-like worship, and overall celebration of music are all present. Our hero, Brodie, is a young teen in a new town, and he is out-casted by most of his peers. Music is his only salvation, and the local record store is the best place in town. These elements of the film rung surprisingly true to my own life, and while humorous, these scenes never betray the importance of music.
The juvenile delinquency of metalheads is also in full force in this film. I found many of these moments both humorous and somewhat embarrassing. Brodie is a simple troublemaker, but his friend Zakk is an agent of chaos. In a scene where Zakk clarifies that he is not stealing petrol, but rather diesel from an ambulance is one of the funniest in the film. These are wayward youth who are struggling to find their own identity in a tumultuous time of life. The balance between mockery and tribute is almost always balanced, and this is where the film is truly successful.
The film is not perfect, though, as additional narrative wrinkles are added to complicate Zakk and Brodie’s relationship for no real reason. I will not spoil the twist, but removing it would have allowed for more dual-wielding chainsaw zombie slaughter.
The film never takes itself seriously, but it was seriously made—if that makes sense. This is not some cheap piece of crap horror film, but rather a clever and pointed satire of an interesting subculture. Worth a watch, might even be worth buying. 666/10
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