Halloween killer

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)

Very Original Horror The very original concept of 'Satan's Little Helper' is almost enough to overlook the poor editing, acting, and total lack of a musical score. Yep, almost.

I only saw this film to drool over blonde bombshell Katheryn Winnick after seeing her in 'Hellraiser VIII.' Well I wasn't disappointed by the fact that she spends the entire film dressed for Halloween as a renaissance bar wench showing off her "assets" and by the fact that her younger brother has a crush on her.

Anyway the original concept of 'Satan's Little Helper' revolves around an unknown serial killer dressed in the frightening rubber mask seen on the cover box. Halloween is actually a good day to go on a mindless bloody rampage. He can get away with dragging around dead bodies, or body parts, and wielding weapons without the police batting an eye. Screams for help and 911 calls are also dismissed. Attacking people in their homes is easy. Everyone is prepared to answer the door at night for a masked stranger with candy in hand, rather than a gun. (For the record I do still keep a gun by my door even on Halloween.) Maybe the ease of being a serial killer on Halloween is why Michael Myers always chooses this day. How does he spend his time the other 364 day of the year? A young boy Dougie witnesses the murders but assumes they're all part of Halloween fun and offers to become Satan's little helper. Hence the mute serial killer uses Dougie as an accomplice in his murder spree.

In a very funny scene, after realizing the killings are real Dougie prays to God. (Much more effective than calling the police or grabbing a weapon.) The serial killer now being hunted by Dougie's family changes Halloween costumes and appears a Jesus. Dougie lets him in the house believing his prayers were answered.

Where the film fails isn't in its poor production quality but in its horror movie clichés. Once the family realizes the masked serial killer is real do they, RUN LIKE HELL? Hide? Hold up and wait for help? Grab a weapon? Or simply fight back? (After all the serial killer doesn't have any super powers, he's just one man.) NO! They follow the usual horror movie clichés of splitting up wandering around dark areas and investigating strange noises in the basement.

But I do give the film credit for having a GREAT ending. Always key and very difficult in horror films. A bad ending can ruin an entire horror movie.

Worth a viewing for an original idea. Only worth a second viewing to drool over Katheryn Winnick a second time. And brace yourself for the poor production quality.

This film is exactly what a horror should aim to be. The film itself is sick, twisted and has a creepy sense of humour that is always lurking underneath the atmosphere. This film is by far no means perfect and you can very easily tell that the budget was not very high. But the director works well with what he has and gives the viewer something that up mostly scares them and makes them feel for the characters. This film is a great horror/slasher movie and whoever enjoys films like the Texas Chainsaw Massacre or House of 1000 corpses should definitely pick this up as it is well worth watching.

A scary 7/10

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")