Bullet Points: Psycho Goreman (2021)

Some movies just speak to you from the very first time you are introduced. Written and directed by Steven Kostanski, Psycho Goreman is one of those movies where a simple viewing of the trailer will give you all you need to know to gauge your interest. I happened across the trailer on YouTube and knew right away that I would be seeking this film out in the very near future.

Synopsis: After unearthing a gem that controls an evil monster looking to destroy the Universe, a young girl and her brother use it to make him do their bidding.

• The Backstory: On the distant planet of Gigax, The dark one (not Sauron) amassed a bunch of power and was expelled by the forces of light. If he is ever found it will spell doom for all existence. We don’t know much more about this being but you can be sure that this has to be our future Pycho Goreman.
• The American Dream: Mimi (Nita-Josee Hanna) and Luke (Owen Myre) are just a couple of normal kids. A brother and sister who play together, come up with their own unique games, and speak to each other in Morse code. To be honest, they seem normal but are far from it. Mimi is the most controlling person I’ve ever seen and while Luke tries to be a good brother, he just can’t help but be swept up in her craziness and often times follows right along. The parents, Greg (Adam Brooks) and Susan (Alexis Kara Hancey) are also key to the story going forward. Neither of them has an ounce of control over their kids and Greg seems to be a big part of why they are so out of control.

• A true Gem: After nearly burying Luke alive, Mimi takes hold of a gem in a mysterious locked vault that gives her more power than she could have ever imagined. The two aren’t quite sure what to think at first, but when a monstrous, murdering, demon takes shape and tells them that they wield the one thing that can control him you can just tell that Mimi’s gears are moving. She’s the type to rule with an iron fist (Luke should know) and even The Dark One isn’t safe around her.
• The Dark One: The creature who we would soon know as Pycho Goreman tells us the “tale that was bathed in the blood of a million dead memories”. The story of how he became the all-powerful being that he is and why a collection of other alien races are out to kill him. We also learn about the religious extremist group called The Templars. They were responsible for putting PG in that vault gimmick the first time and now they are setting out to kill him for good.

• Mimi and the fam: PG meets the family and while they’re a little skeptical, they do accept him and eventually becomes a part of their strange crew. They start a band, hang around the local diner, viciously murder some people, and all the while Mimi is by far the WORST character in the entire film. She treats everyone like crap and even PG can see it and tries to backstab her a couple of times.
• Old friends: As you might expect, PG’s old pals come looking for him after he sends them his coordinates and they aren’t too happy for his return. It turns into a hilarious scene of combat that gives us a look at some of his right hand men (and women) while also dishing out some great gratuitous gore. Remind me never to ask for a “warrior’s death”.

• The Final Battle: Pandora of the Templars has been hot on the trail of PG and it all ends in a hilariously unique and excellent way. Kostanski certainly has a way with mixing real feelings with ridiculous violence, all the while, sucking you in and making you care about characters who really don’t mean anything to the story. Dad’s always give the best advice, Crazy Ball should be an Olympic sport, and Psycho Goreman 2024!

The Verdict: This movie isn’t for everyone. I showed the trailer to a friend the other day and he had absolutely no interest in it. It’s not surprising, though. It has a way of mixing horror, comedy, and action while using children and extremely gratuitous violence to tell a story about love and acceptance. Okay….most of the film is just ridiculousness but don’t let the little girl controlling a Demon-god make you think that there isn’t something of message in here. Watch the trailer first and then you’ll know. If that seems like your flavor then you won’t be disappointed. For me, Psycho Goreman struck that perfect balance between the genres and left me wanting more.