Satan's Little Helper

This is the 2nd time that I've watched "Satan's Little Helper" now; once in 2019 and some time back around the mid 2000s. Funny how the movie actually was more enjoyable than I initially remembered it to be.

The movie is a wonderful mix of horror and dark comedy, and the movie never really takes itself too serious. Which is a good thing, because while there is an overlaying element of comedy to the movie, there is still something dark and definitely horror element to it.

I couldn't remember that it was Katheryn Winnick whom was in this movie, maybe because this was from way before "Vikings" made her famous. It was actually fun to watch her in a movie such as this. And of course it was also nice to see Amanda Plummer in this movie.

As for the killer, well it wore a little bit thin throughout the course of the movie that he didn't talk or that you didn't get to see his face. It has been done in way too many horror movies already prior to "Satan's Little Helper". The mask he wore, though, was cool.

The horror elements in the movie were not over the top, but had just the right of horror mixed with dark comedy to keep the movie interesting. While the movie does have elements of comedy to it, it is not the type of movie that will make you laugh.

"Satan's Little Helper" is enjoyable to watch, but hardly makes for a horror classic.

In Halloween, the student of theater Jenna Whooly (Katheryn Winnick) returns to Bell Island to spend the holiday with her family and her boyfriend Alex Martin (Stephen Graham), who studies in the same class and was also raised in the island. Her young brother Douglas "Dougie" Whooly (Alexander Brickel), who is very attached to Jenna and is fascinated in the video game Satan's Little Helper, becomes jealous with the presence of Alex. He leaves home wearing his costume of Satan's little helper seeking Satan on the streets to kill Alex. Dougie meets a serial-killer that coincidently is wearing a costume of Satan and proposes him to attack Alex. He brings the insane murderer home, and Jenna and her mother Merrill Whooly (Amanda Plummer) believes that the masked killer is Alex acting like Satan to please Dougie. Later the boy walks with the criminal along the streets helping him to kill the locals.

I bought the DVD "Satan's Little Helper" with very low expectations and I found an absolutely cult-movie. The morbid story blends slasher-movie with very dark comedy, and works since it is hilarious mostly because the funny performances of the masked Satan. His piece-of-art with the bodies of his victims could be more explored in the story. The naive little moron that helps him is annoying and imbecile and Katheryn Winnick is extremely gorgeous and seductive wearing her mother's costume. My vote is eight.

Title (Brazil): "O Ajudante de Satã" ("The Satan's Helper")

What we have here with Satan's Little Helper is a pretty predictable, occasionally silly, and overall average written and acted film. But it's also a pretty fresh and unique flick that should be a welcome viewing for any horror fan.

The story revolves around a little Jewish looking kid, who because of his new favorite video game, Satan's Little Helper, has now combined the game's ideas with everyday life. His sister is home from college and all he wants is to trick or treat with her. Well, young lovely sister has brought home college boyfriend and this is ruining lil brother's dreams of a great Halloween. With this new found love for Satan, because of the video game, he runs out and looks for Satan to go trick or treating...I think. Well, luck be told he finds a creepy lookin guy dressed up like Satan. Even though this guy may or not may be Satan, he sure doesn't lack in the evil department. Unbeknownst to lil boy, he's befriended a serial killer on the loose during Halloween, and he's truly become, Satan's Little Helper.

The flick overall, isn't really anything that special. Even at just over 90 minutes, the film felt a tad too long. I was constantly checking the time during the last 30 or so minutes. Plus the kid who plays the lead, is one annoying little kid with one-dimensional acting skills. Watch the little girl in The Fall to really watch good child acting. Anyways, the film does succeed in it's unique idea. Having a silent murderer leading a little kid around to help kill people is pretty sweet. For a low-budget horror flick, it's definitely a nice treat for any horror fan. But all the ridiculous high praise is just a lot of hot air. It's good, but it ain't that good.

This movie has a pretty absurd premise (it's hidden in the title, so that doesn't count as a spoiler)! I could only hope that it would at least kind of live up to that crazy expectation ... and it did at the beginning! Also you're welcome for the pun in the summary line above.

It was as it should be, black humor and sick jokes all over the place. Just as it should be, with a movie like that. No political correctness in sight, that would've just be a distraction! A bad one, too! For a few people the first bump will be, that there is no nudity in the movie. But you know, although this is a horror movie, where you kind of expect that, I didn't think that was a bad thing. It went against expectations for once in the right place. The jokes worked without that, too!

But then it happens ... what I mentioned in the subject line ... it's a shame, but the movie just runs out of ideas and just gets annoying from a certain point on. And it's a shame too, because it all felt good and right up to that point, but after that it's downhills ...

Still worth a watch on disc or stream, if you like off-balance, black humor, that isn't political correct! (originally reviewed July 2007, slight update in June 2022)

I had really low expectations going into this film as I haven't liked either of the Jess Lieberman films I'd seen previously (Squirm, Just Before Dawn); but what I found with this film was an inventive and moderately amusing little film that benefits from a talented cast and a clever screenplay. Satan's Little Helper is a pitch black horror comedy that finds time to poke fun at the American institution of Halloween, as well as ideas such as 'video games create killers'. The central idea is more than a little bit silly, but it also shows great imagination; as the idea of having a young boy unwittingly help a serial killer isn't immediately obvious, and the director does a good job of manipulating his characters into the situation he wants them in. Satan's Little Helper revolves around Douglas Whooly; a young boy obsessed with the video game, coincidentally called 'Satan's Little Helper', which was bought for him by his father. After witnessing the local serial killer arranging his victims outside his house, the kid mistakes it for an act and offers his help to the killer; which is duly accepted.

The fact that the lead character is a young boy gives the film a sort of childish horror feel; and Jeff Lieberman brilliantly offsets this with a number of amazingly gruesome scenes, which see things such as a cat being used to write 'boo' on the wall in blood, as well as intestines being used to tie a knot and a particularly grisly stabbing sequence towards the end. The director has also managed to pull in some good B-movie talent to act out his movie. Amanda Plummer is the biggest name on the cast list, and she bodes well with her role as slightly odd mother. The beautiful Katheryn Winnick was the highlight for me, and no doubt most other male audience members, as she looks great and her acting isn't bad either. Child actor Alexander Brickel, and Stephen Graham round off the central cast and overall, this movie doesn't have many problems where the acting is concerned. Jeff Lieberman's sense of humour may not be to everyone's taste; but I found it delightful, and the way the screenplay constantly harks back to earlier events is good. Overall, this may not be a brilliant film; but it's entertaining and fun and therefore gets a big thumbs up.