INBRED REDNECK ALIEN ABDUCTION

Produced by Eric Stanze, Donna Donahue, and Patrick Voss
Directed Patrick Voss
Written by Adam Hackbarth and Patrick Voss
Edited by Eric Stanze and Patrick Voss

Ikan Kikyeras - Michelle Eller
Special Agent Seth Cooper - Chad Bockholdt
Pappy Duke - Don Pearson
Larry-Bob - Patrick Voss
Sally McNally - Sharon Pearson

INBRED REDNECK ALIEN ABDUCTION is a movie I was positive I would hate. Let me correct that, that's "hate" with a capital "ATE", and not just "H," and a few exclamation points thrown in for good measure - HATE!!! The title is uninspired (in more candid exchanges I use the word "dumb" - say it out loud a few times if you don't already agree). The plot sounds uninspired. The screencaps look uninspired. When I first heard about the movie, the phrase "hack job" came immediately to mind. I was full-on ready to cut this one to shreds.

After subjecting myself to the full 90 minutes, the most scathing comment I can say is that the movie is uneven, but that's par for the course with most comedies today. It's a numbers game, the more turns at bat, the more likely a director can knock one out of the park. Of course, the flip side is that he'll also strike out more often. I can reassure anyone interested in IRAA that the movie inspires more genuine laughs than it does groans. It's not a grandslam but a solid double.

IRAA proudly wears its influences on the video sleeve: THE X-FILES, DELIVERANCE, CLOSE ENCOUNTERS OF THE THIRD KIND, STAR WARS, etc... It's a movie by fanboys for fanboys, and that's not a bad thing, just limiting towards the audience. It's like a private joke that's broad enough to be shared by more than just two friends - like, say, the entire comic book shop or the pimply few who frequent the basement of the science building every Friday night.

Personally, I don't like STAR WARS or CLOSE ENCOUNTERS, and that half of IRAA is what I found flat. 40 year-old gags about white trash and jokes about kitchen utensils standing in for The Force left me anticipating the good-natured crudeness of the abundant toilet humor and boobs all the more. And every once in a while there's a truely inspired bit of lunacy that comes from left field. My favorite concerns the maps in an FBI director's office and the maze of string and thumbtacks that crisscross the room.

FBI agents Ikan Kikyeras (pronounced "I can kick your ass") and Seth Cooper...correction...Special Agent Seth Cooper as sent to the backwoods of Arkansas by their conspiracy theory-delusional boss. The scenes between the agents are fast and fun, but then again, I'm an X-FILES kinda geek so I found the moments enjoyable. As I already mentioned, I'm not a fan of redneck humor and found the establishing scenes detailing the rednecks' predilection towards sexual misconduct with produce and lengthy scenes of fisticuffs to be recycled and tired. There's a scene early on where two rednecks go head-to-head that rivals the famous fight in THEY LIVE in terms of length, but contains about as much excitement as a mental ward two hours after the meds are passed out.

More lunacy during the first half could have elevated the movie to the status of an underground classic. The production takes a giant leap forward during the second half after the Agents team with the rednecks to battle the alien abductors. And it's here where director Voss impressed me the most with the production value and the effort he put forth. Most "underground" sci-fi or horror films sent for review would have themselves to a cheap store-bought mask representing the aliens, or an Ed Wood-style set thrown together with shower curtains and milk crates representing the alien ship, but Voss went the extra mile by building sets and crafting unique make-up effects for all the different aliens. That effort alone scored Voss extra points. Putting a red-headed hottie back together after bodily dismemberment with a ducttape string bikini scored him even more.

Had the movie lived up to DAWN OF THE DEAD screenwriter James Gunn's box quote as "the most ludicrous, moronic, and offensive film I've ever seen" with more moments of vulgarity and anal cow penetration, then I wouldn't hesitate to recommend it to fans of underground cinema. Unfortunately, the first half never goes far enough and viewers might not sit through it. Better pacing would certainly help during the first have, especially with the previously mentioned fight scene.

The DVD is on par with most other recent Sub Rosa released. It contains a commentary, deleted scenes, a stills gallery, and a blooper reel. There was a time when Sub Rosa released discs that were so crammed with material that the presentation outweighed the movie. Now they're just average.

Robot Monkey Lab
Wicked Pixel
Sub Rosa Studios