DOGHOUSE - On DemandJuly 29, 2010
IFC Midnight
On Demand Weekly provides new movie reviews of hot movies on demand and from the POV of watching from the comfort of your home. Today’s review: DOGHOUSE. Tell Lorisa what you think here.
Director Jake West’s uproarious “battle of the sexes” splatterfest comedy is about six beer-drinking, skirt chasing buddies on a quest to rediscover their maleness while helping one of their friends overcome his divorce. When the group visits a small country village known for its beautiful ladies, they soon discover that their fantasy sex kittens have been transformed into man-eating zombies.
Although West dangerously explores sexism (i.e. female zombies are referred to as “Zombirds” and are dressed like porn fantasy figures), he balances these stereotypes with his portrayal of the male characters as primitive, uncouth Neanderthals, looking to get a quick score.
As the fellas try to escape the grasp of pissed-off man eating cannibals, West expands on the male characters’ fears and prejudices about women’s ability to castrate men. After feeling sucker-punched into a life of nagging and neglect by bossy women who have brow-beaten their masculinity right out of them, these men are reborn into strong warriors, jocking for a position in a world taken over by women- or, in this case, man-hating zombirds.
Although the film suffers from a lack of strong female characters, West has a visual flair for gore and non-stop slapstick comedy. The enthusiastic cast creates a certain vibrant appeal to a story with an unappealing premise.
Fantasy horror at its best, this movie sidesteps being subtle. West will have you rooting for the poor underdogs as they fight to stay out of the DOGHOUSE!
- Lorisa Bates
Lorisa Bates is a contributing writer to On Demand Weekly.
DOGHOUSE Available On Demand until 8/31/10
Run time: 99 minutes / Rating TV MA
Previous Reviews by Lorisa Bates:
Nightmares in Red, White and Blue: The Evolution of the American Horror Film - On Demand
