No Good Heroes

I feel a strong attraction towards regional cinemas, and even a certain inclination when I have the opportunity to support a production. Not only because many deal with stories distant from urban dilemmas, but because their freshness is often combined with more originality than the cinema of large cities, and because they are played by performers whose faces have not been overexposed and without the customary acting techniques of the metropolitan divas. Such is the case of «No Good Heroes», a good motion picture made in St. Louis, that incorporates elements of science fiction and horror. Balancing both genres director-writer Johnny Xeno delivered an attractive product that always kept me interested. The most obvious weakness that I find in «No Good Heroes» is of dramatic order. Perhaps Xeno would have benefited from further script development, and having good advisors to help him find solutions: for example, better ways to define the personalities of the two policemen and their conflicting relationship (in two or three days), or mentioning Charlie the dog for the first time a few minutes before the animal's only appearance. Moreover, perhaps the most obvious one: what happens to the alien rugrats that appear in the last minutes? Of course, in the end, one passes the detail, for the little things are so terrifying (moreover, the whole scene is tense and intense) that one rests when the Alien Mother calls them on the carpet. On the positive side, sequence after sequence is disquieting, creepy and even gruesome in an almost surgical and surprising way that gives more room to fuss than disgust. Tim O'Leary and Chad Crenshaw bring out the best in their characters. However, the most interesting and frightening side of the story is in the hands of Nathan Varnson, Sheila Griggs and Kevin Gagnepain as a family for which the word "dysfunctional" is a compliment, as well as poor Nova Gaver, who has no idea what load she is carrying along. In the final analysis «No Good Heroes» is a film that could have been much better, but it is praiseworthy and a more valuable work than many anodyne films made in Los Angeles, with millionaire budgets compared to this modest production, which was evidently made with a lot more of affection.

The idea sounded very interesting and creative, so there was enough to make one want to see it. The cover looked quite eerie. So saw 'No Good Heroes' with genuine interest and wanting to at least sort of like it even if it had many problems.

Seeing it, well 'No Good Heroes' certainly did have many problems and it is pretty much exactly the same feelings had when watching a few other films recently. The bad news was that there was not an awful lot good, let alone great, about it, so it was difficult for me to sort of like it, the little that's good being far overshadowed by the bad. Having prepared myself to do that, that was disappointing. Not a terrible film or without redeeming qualities, and there is far worse out there of the genre and overall. Liked the concept for 'No Good Heroes', the execution was just wanting.

'No Good Heroes' at least didn't insult my intelligence. It at least didn't make me angry watching it. Despite giving it a relatively low score and negative review, it even didn't make me regret watching it altogether, there are imminently worse films out there.

It started off quite promisingly in an unsettling sort of way.

Setting was quite spooky at times as was the lighting.

Unfortunately, 'No Good Heroes' did lack tension and suspense, and much of it was on the obvious side. The script is stilted and very repetitive while the direction tends to be static and pedestrian. 'No Good Heroes' looked as though it was made in a rush and it shows in its drab look. The acting throughout is like watching an over-spend of wood while the aliens lacked personality and cheaply designed.

Was let down by the story. Conceptually interesting and wasn't too bad starting, at least too there actually was one, but the dull pace, due to some very uneventful stretches in particularly the middle, and the muddled way it was structured, meaning things didn't make sense, cheapened things. The characters are flimsily developed and bland even though the actors do their best. It can feel vague and while nothing is intelligence insulting there is both ridiculousness and trying to take it too seriously.

Overall, potentially interesting but weak. 3/10 Bethany Cox

Genuinely good plot idea but the execution was pretty bad. I liked the characters but the acting pretty terrible and definitely B movie quality.

I just wish the ending was better explained, Ex: the babies?

This movie crosses a lot of genres - monsters, meet-the-parents, old secrets, etc. - and handles them with humor in a small town Missouri way. "No Good Heroes" does what it intends - it entertains.

Yes, the film does suffer from the poor performances of some of the minor players, but I was drawn to it by the unusual plot (the cop KNOWS about the aliens in the woods) and I was not disappointed. There's plenty of horror and suspense throughout, even through the ending where it's unsure all loose ends are truly tied up. The aliens themselves are well done, there's a modern amount of disgusting gore and I was able to care about the characters. A pleasant diversion, worth a watch (but perhaps not before a trip to the woods).