JACK BROOKS: MONSTER SLAYER

“Jack Brooks: Monster Slayer” gets off to a kick-ass start, taking us deep into the jungles of Ottowa, Canada, where the primitive natives are fighting off a man in a giant rubber cyclops monster suit.

Wait, what?

In the age of computer-generated giant two-headed snakes, space spiders, manticores, dragons, gargoyles and other assorted digitized cryptozoological pets the “Sci-Fi Channel” is famous for breeding the above scenario actually sounds completely watchable. You, the fans, have been clamoring for this for years. A horror film with a likeable slacker hero, babes in danger, and all the practical goo-spewing, latex stretching special effects you can stand.

Yes, I know that movie is supposed to be called “Evil Dead 4”, but can you take “Jack Brooks: Monster Slayer” and be happy with that instead?

Maybe, but likely not. Your first instinct is to cheerlead for this movie. You really, really want to like it—and there's actually a lot to love about it. It's got all the ingredients of the next horror cult phenomenon. Classic horror star? Check: Robert Englund, the Vincent Price of his generation. Awesome new anti-hero? Gotcha: Jack Brooks, reluctant barely competent plumber with anger issues by day, reluctant barely competent monster killer/college student with anger issues by night.

But despite the copious amounts of slime and goo something fails to gel especially in the first hour. The film is only 80 minutes but it feels much longer. In that first hour we get glimpse into Jack's background (his family was eaten by a wood troll), and join him as he unwittingly unleashes an ancient demon which begins to transform his night school professor (Robert England). Englund's great fun to watch and he holds the movie together. Still much of that time it goes in circles with Jack dealing with his anger, career, and relationship problems. “Jack Brooks” doesn't seem to move forward at any point until the last 20 minutes.

Still, “Jack Brooks” has a lot to offer in those last 20 minutes. Fans of practical monster effects and make-up won't be disappointed. Englund's transformation into a multi-tentacled creature that takes up half a classroom is the sort of thing you don't see anymore without digital assistance. So while the movie doesn't exactly work, it's a great first feature effort, and I look forward to seeing more from this team. It's obvious they've got the talent to make a great movie, even if this isn't it. Keep in mind that the filmmakers whose work they've obviously been influenced by didn't get it perfect the first time either.

The DVD comes with an amiable commentary by the filmmakers, and a few behind the scenes featurettes. The one about making the monster suits and makeup should be of interest to anyone who enjoys the movie. -Mike C.