Blades

Blades is the kind of movie where you have a good time with it at the time, but probably won't ever watch it again. It's a fun reworking of Jaws with splashes of Caddyshack but with a killer lawnmower terrorizing the golf-loving members of a country club.

Troma just worked out the story of Jaws and turned it into a bloodfest an a golf yard. However, a machine, normally cutting grass, is killing people now and at least as the machine features the smiling balloons and runs amok on it's own, everyone should have been checked out, this one is not to be taken seriously. But, who cares? A little glimpse on Jason (the worker with the mask, helping the balded man) makes this movie to be a good farce. It has atmosphere, never mind the story is nothing more than a joke.

A good plagiat.

And Maximum Overdrive. The budget was so low they couldn't even afford any hot chicks. Still it is the second best golf movie ever (after Caddyshack 2)

I can understand if people think this is a stupid film, or if it's forgettable, idiotic, whatever; but you have to admit that is has one pretty crazy plot. People are being gruesomely decapitated on a golf course by a evil killer lawn mower. Come again? Personally, I didn't find it bad – it's a comedy/horror and it doesn't necessary fail at that.

The movie isn't entirely hilarious, it isn't mind numbingly unfunny either, turn off your brain and you can have some cheesy, low budget 80's fun as it packs a few witty jokes, it's a great parody of Jaws and has fun deaths - saying that, a massive problem I had with the film was its constant resort to silliness which is what a lot of comedy/horror's do, still – you get over it because the movie is pretty fun.

For such a miniscule budget the movie is quite impressive and I kind of enjoyed it – it's crazy, stupid, and one of those movies you come across on the last existing VHS section in your video rental shop and discover some really obscure stuff. Other than everything I have written in this tiny review, there isn't that much else to it but that doesn't mean it's bad. The entire point of this film is to turn off your brain and enjoy a slasher where the villain is a killer lawn mower on a golf course; nothing more, nothing less. Have some self admitting, cheesy 80's fun.

In the exclusive, fancy and uptight Tall Grass golf club, bloody leftovers of nightly intruders as well as of loyal club members are found barbarically hacked up. This means bad publicity for the upcoming golf tournament, so resort owner Osgood is quite relieved when the angry mob captures former caretaker Deke Slade as the maniacal culprit. However, resident golf instructors Roy and Kelly correctly assume something much larger, diabolical and superhuman is on a rampage here.

All I ever read about this late 80s horror comedy is that it's a re-enactment of Spielberg's ultimate summer classic "Jaws". And that's true, of course. The parallel sequences, loving tributes and unsubtle references are unmistakably there. What you almost never read, though, is that "Blades" also parodies a large number of other classic cult movies. The uncontrollable murderous device is a machine with a will of its own, which automatically reminds me of "The Terminator". The setting, the cast of characters and many of the situational humor also almost makes it feel like a "Caddyshack" sequel. And a better one than the official "Caddyshack II", for that matter. There's even a guy with a hokey mask named Jason, so you certainly can't claim the writers of "Blades" don't know their landmarks.

Maybe because the film was distributed by the questionable Troma studios, maybe because there already was an overload of low-budget slashers throughout the late 80s, or maybe just because of bad luck; but I personally feel that "Blades" is an underrated horror comedy. It's cheesy and badly acted, for sure, but the concept is really fresh and inventive. Numerous sequences are also downright hilarious, like the redneck mob setting out a manhunt, or Deke's emotional flashback speech. Only the gore should have been slightly more outrageous, perhaps.