Chompy & the Girls

Delightful quirky story with an It Follows feel. An estranged daughter and father who have only just met for the first time mere minutes ago witness a man open his mouth to gargantuan size and swallow a tween whole. Then he comes for them - running. It's a goofy and great story about figuring this thing out with the help of a wise magician and the wife. It speaks to the possibility that there are ways to handle things that don't involve fighting or running.

When a troubled daughter turns up to meet the father who never knew she existed, they both witness a bizarre killing and go on the run from the relentless perpetrator.

Zany sci-fi horror that sort of mashes up It Follows with Body Snatchers. The opening scene is excellent and really got me hooked, but what comes after that is patchy entertainment. While the energy and the concept are engaging and the two lead performances good, I think this needed more development at the storyboard stage.

One mark of an undercooked story is that half the dialogue comes in the form of questions, and most of the scenes ramble around before deciding to put in a plot point. That looseness takes the snap out of the humour, and while there is character development it doesn't feel earned.

Still, the characters are likeable, and the switch of direction at the halfway mark allows the story to end on a satisfying note, with a reassuring reflection on how we can adapt to life, no matter how desperate our plight.

The music is light, some ominous stuff to accompany Chompy and the girls, and the camera work and lighting do give some ordinary locations a sense of spooky isolation.

Overall: Heart in the right place, slightly off on the writing.

Like something lifted straight out of a nightmare and so surreal I won't be sure in the future if this movie exists or I just dreamed it.

The story kicks off within the first 15 mins with its intriguing inciting incident, which could have unfolded into a clone of something like 'It Follows' or any other generic slasher, but instead goes some place else entirely. The two leads are instantly likeable (one remains so for most of the film, and the other...) and I stayed invested as it twisted in directions I didn't expect, even at the end when the limits of the budget became distractingly apparent.

I appreciate that the director/writer clearly understands the premise alone couldn't sustain the albeit swift 90 min runtime and knows the characters have to be...well, characters. It does drag in spots as Jackson begins droning on in a schtick that wears thin, but it informs her character's place in life and Braband does a decent job establishing basic, understandable traits and desires with simple things like a noose and a pair of cowboy boots. As an avid viewer of low-budget trash, this was a welcome above-average effort for a film of this caliber, which earns it a 7 for me.

It never looks incompetent or cheap (except, again, until the last fifteen minutes), is well shot, edited and paced, and if Braband continues to hone this off-beat style, he has a bright future. I'm looking forward to his next film.

There is no hiding the fact that this is a low-budget film. The special affects and CGI are passable at best, but mostly obvious. With the exception of Udo Kier's vocal cameo, the cast is pretty much unknown.

It would be easy to write Chompy & The Girls off as just another low budget indie flick, but it really is so much more than that.

The general plot is, admittedly, ridiculous. Bit the way it plays out is brilliant.

We have dark humour which is totally on point. Plot twists that nobody will see coming. Relationship drama that is presented comically, but also very honestly and realistically.

There are moments in this movie that, despite the absurdity of everything else that happens, really hit an emotional nerve; it really doesn't take itself too seriously, but can still pack a punch when it wants to.

Ultimately, this is a film that does wonderful things on a shoestring. Make no mistake: it's an absurd, silly story. Anyone wanting a serious, cerebral horror will be disappointed.

On the other hand, if you're willing to go along with the crazy story and madcap events, you're in for a wild, entertaining ride.

Seemed a bit budget at first but could wind up a cult classic. A fantastic must watch for any fan of the horror comedy glory days when Hollywood wasn't afraid to make weird, authentic movies. This should be continued on a larger budget with the same cast!