OBSTACLE CORPSE **** USA 2022 Dir: Hope Madden. 85 mins
Hope Madden’s brilliant indie comedy horror Obstacle Corpse contains plenty of laughs and gore. The balance is a perfect mix of comedy and horror that retains the audience’s focus.
The film follows a group of ‘plus ones’ who have all been asked to attend by the invited who have previously survived the obstacle course. This is a game of survival of the fittest with the losers never returning home.
There were some innovative kills during the superbly paced 85 minutes that make this film a great watch. Even having seen plenty of horror films, I was amazed at how creative they were, each unique in their own way. I often find that films containing multiple kills can become repetitive so it was refreshing to see Madden had kept the ideas rolling.
Making an everyday sporting event a killing spree was a fantastic idea and this allowed the characters to be completely unaware of what was about to happen. The storyline is something new, even for a horror veteran and provides a twist you won’t see coming.
Gareth Tidball was the perfect choice for the active Stephanie. Seemingly sweet and innocent but strong and fierce with a willingness to get the task at hand done. She adds in suspense as the audience go through a ‘will she / won’t she’ at every obstacle.
Sylvie Mix and Alan Tyson were a great combination. Sunny and Ezra respectively had great chemistry and came across as two close friends. They play on each other’s strengths and weaknesses, creating a great dynamic and causing the audience to root for them, hoping they survive the blood bath.
Some of my favourite moments in the film are thanks to Donovan Riley Wolfington who has plenty of charisma and comedic timing, so much so that I couldn’t help but laugh out loud at some of his one liners. His unique renditions of Christmas tunes genuinely put a smile on my face throughout some of the bloodiest moments.
The soundtrack chosen is one reason to give this film a watch as it adds in plenty of humour and makes the film even more interesting.
This one is well worth a watch.
Review by Poppy Blundell
Go give the OBSTACLE CORPSE Facebook page a LIKE/FOLLOW to stay up to date on when this movie will be released.