Psycho Goreman   Starring: Nita-Josee Hanna, Owen Myre, Adam Brooks and Alexis Hancey Distributor: Acorn Media International RRP: £19.99 AB2048 5036193020483 Certificate: 15 Release Date: 04 October 2021

Acorn Media International in association with Shudder releases Psycho Goreman. A young brother and sister are ‘playing’ in the garden when they unearth a large glowing gem. This heralds the arrival of a bloodthirsty psychotic ancient alien warmonger who – after a rampage of planet-destroying fury and the resulting imprisonment at the hands/tentacles of a justice collective of aliens – arrives on Earth to claim the stone. But he doesn’t bargain for the bossy little girl Mimi using the powers of the stone to make the creature do her every bidding. Along with her put-upon brother Luke, they rename him Psycho Goreman, and what follows is a crazy and quite nonsensical run-around which will culminate in making a decision as to whom to trust in the final showdown between the Sword of Justice and a destroyer of worlds who has lived among humans for too long...

The only ‘good’ thing about this movie – and I use the phrase with reservation, as you’ll understand shortly – is Nita-Josee Hanna as Mimi. You hate her character only minutes into the film, and that’s a sign of good acting – or, at least, good characterisation. It just doesn’t ring true that she gets away with as much as she does. Everyone seems to simply accept this behaviour, including her family, school and aliens. Nobody stands-up to the little mare. I would have fed her into a mincing machine by that time, just for some peace and quiet! Even when a schoolboy that Mimi likes is turned permanently into a big meatball with bug-eyes and little tentacles, no one bats an eyelid – even his own family. I realise this is a dark comedy of sorts, but what I’m trying to get at is that every change or decision has to have consequences in life, and everybody acts as if these situations are happening every day.

Quite frankly, the movie is a mess; the only question is: is it supposed to be? Some individuals call this sort of thing gonzo. It’s certainly absurd, bizarre and a highly-exaggerated scenario. The balance is well off-kilter, not realising whether it wants to be a horror, a fantasy, a sci-fi or a family comedy, and failing because it attempts to go for all at one. At grass roots value this is a children’s film, but the addition of the Psycho Goreman character’s acts of nonchalant violence raises the stakes to a 15 certificate – although those bloody scenes are almost throw-away in nature. It reminds me of those cheap weekend afternoon adventures which are used to bide time until the watershed. Not for me, I’m afraid. However, for anyone who might be interested, at least there is a collection of extra features – including a Commentary with Director Steven Kostanski, Interviews with Cast and Crew, Fight Choreography, The Music of PG, Behind the Scenes Featurettes, Concept Art Gallery, Trading Cards Gallery, and a Behind the Scenes Photo Gallery.

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Ty Power