Johnny Gruesome is a 2018 comedy/horror film about a rebellious high school student who is murdered and then returns from the grave as a revenge crazed supernatural creature.
Revenging the death of loved one has long been a staple in the stories we tell, from the Iliad to Hamlet to modern digital shelves packed with all sorts of sordid cinematic fare. Few though give the deceased a chance to have their swings, though you’re probably leaping right to James O’Barr‘s classic comic book and following Alex Proyas‘ equally influential film The Crow, and rightfully so. Writer/director Gregory Lamberson now adapts his own book on the same theme, delivering a noir-ish black comedy that gleefully embraces a Z-movie attitude, leaving Johnny Gruesome just what you expect, a goofy, low-rent production that never once takes itself seriously. My advice, nor should you.
Johnny Grissom (Anthony De La Torre) is your typical high school rebel. You know the type: long hair, likes heavy metal, drives a muscle car with skulls painted on the hood, and gets in tangles with the cocky jocks. He’s dating Karen (Aprilann – who gets second credit as one of the film’s score composers), a pretty blonde dressed in all black, and hangs with pals Eric (Byron Brown II) and troublemaker Gary (Chris Modrzynski). Unhappy at home and near expulsion at school, Johnny isn’t having a good year, and one night, driving with his friends, things take a wrong turn leaving Johnny dead. However, feeling slighted, Johnny soon rises from the grave (in the movie’s single funniest moment) and decides it’s time to set things right, living up to his nickname ‘Johnny Gruesome’.
While Lamberson isn’t working with much of a budget, that actually works in the film’s favor, the cheaply made visuals and almost laughably stiff and over-the-top delivery from the cast (many making their debut) feeling like a purposeful choice. It’s as if the filmmakers are trying to both homage and spoof late 70s early 80s drive-in slasher flicks. It’s ridiculous of course and yet feeling intentional is also a little fun. When you watch Johnny get beaten back by water from a shower head, you will understand exactly what I mean.
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However, despite the potential, Johnny Gruesome lacks the irony and satire it never seems to aim for, missing opportunities to really take some jabs at high school life or social commentary on bullying. Instead, it’s just a straight up, often slow-moving string of obvious deaths that never truly connect. Most of the killings don’t even feel that warranted, including even Johnny’s. It doesn’t have the bloody violence or gratuitous sex it feels meant to have, sticking to a ‘everything bad off screen’ mentality that really weakens its punch. Sure, the practical effects that do make it in are fun, and De La Torre looks great in his zombie getup, but the film has no style about it, leaving it not that memorable.
So, all that said, there’s no denying that Johnny Gruesome isn’t without some appeal, the high school level production earning a few deserved winks. Fans of low budget horror might find something that will entertain, but most will probably tune out well before it’s over.