Review: Horror-Comedy Film Baghead (2008)
Low-Budget Indie Movie Doesn't Make Most of Interesting Concept
Jan 1, 2009
Not quite a comedy and not quite a horror film, Baghead is an amalgamation of the two filtered through the lens of amateur filmmakers.
Written and directed by Jay and Mark Duplass, the movie is more an experiment than a fully realized idea. With an intriguing story and loads of possibilities, Baghead feels unaccomplished, like the brothers Duplass couldn’t quite figure out if this would work better as a relationship drama, a cabin-in-the-woods thriller or an indie comedy about four friends playing pranks on one another.
Not Enough Horror in Baghead
Viewers are just as likely to get confused as the film changes moods seemingly every five minutes during its brief runtime. What begins as a story of four friends who go to a cabin to write an indie movie starring themselves quickly turns into a pseudo-horror flick when a mysterious man with a bag on his head shows up outside and begins stalking them.
Only the “baghead” is really just one of the friends playing a joke on the others – or is it? Nothing is as it seems; except that everything is pretty much exactly as it seems. There really aren’t many surprises besides maybe one near the end that should be obvious in retrospect.
While certainly not a true horror film (and with creepy stalker movies like Them and The Strangers popping up at a steady rate as it is, it’s probably good that the Duplasses didn’t go that route), Baghead isn’t tongue-in-cheek enough, isn’t clever enough to be considered a horror parody either.
In fact, very little time is even devoted to the central concept of the story, so don’t expect loads of baghead-related humor/terror.
Characters, Relationships Make This Indie Movie
The focus of the movie is really the characters and the relationships between them. Michelle (Greta Gerwig) likes Matt (Ross Partridge), but Matt promised Chad (Steve Zissis) that he wouldn’t hook up with Michelle because Chad has a thing for her. Also, Catherine (Elise Muller) and Matt have dated in the past, but they aren’t together anymore. Still, Catherine is jealous of Michelle because she still likes Matt.
All of this romantic hoo-ha strains friendships and adds to the whole stalker premise because the four friends start donning bags on their heads to scare the others for a bit of love-triangle revenge.
Still, one can see how this would feel like several movies in one, and if they were skillfully woven together then that wouldn’t be a problem. As it is, though, Baghead is several good ideas undercooked and served in a cabin with a side of humor, medium rare.
Score: 6 out of 10
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