Tucker and Dale vs. Evil

Tucker and Dale vs. Evil is a film that knows what its audience expects, but does the exact opposite.  It takes place in the woods, with a group of college students and some hillbillies, but this time, the hillbillies are not psychos; in fact, they're genuinely good guys who wind up being terrorized by the kids.  It's a film that had the potential to be either a really funny spoof or just another stupid horror film; fortunately, it falls firmly into the former category.

Tucker and Dale are two friends who are looking forward to spending a weekend at their new vacation home, doing repairs, going fishing, and having some beers.  Also vacationing in the woods is a group of college students, who, through a series of comic misunderstandings, come to believe that Tucker and Dale are crazy hillbillies.  As they try to avoid being murdered, the kids end up slaughtering themselves in front of the shocked hillbillies, who come to the conclusion that the kids have made some kind of suicide pact.

This is writer/director Eli Craig's first film, which is surprising, as he gets so much right.  The movie cleverly pokes fun at the genre, with great dialogue and so many hilarious scenes.  Much of the humor comes from the parties' misperceptions of each other.  They first cross paths at a gas station.  Dale is taken with Allison, and Tucker urges his friend to go over and talk to her, reminding him, "Whatever you say, smile and laugh.  That shows confidence."  So Dale approaches the kids, carrying a scythe, and asks if they're going camping, his voice inflecting as he chuckles nervously.  Later, Tucker and Dale are fishing and witness Allison fall and hit her head on a rock.  The two rescue her and pull her into their boat, calling out, "We got your friend!" to the terrified kids, who assume that Allison has been kidnapped.  One kid later claims, "It was really dark, but it looked like one of the guys was... eating her face off."

As the kids attempt to rescue their friend, they end up dying as a result of their own stupidity.  Dale witnesses one impaling himself with a spear, while Tucker sees another dive headfirst into a woodchipper.  The deaths are certainly bloody, but they're made hilarious by the horrified reactions of the hillbillies, who must fight for their lives against the crazed kids.

The acting is another of the film's strengths.  Tyler Labine and Alan Tudyk are both excellent in their roles.  Tucker is the more outgoing and sarcastic of the two, while Dale is a gentle, sweet guy.  They have a great chemistry and are obviously the stars of the film.  Katrina Bowden is cute and likable, while Jesse Moss overacts as the increasingly deranged leader of the college kids.  The other kids aren't given much to do except act scared, which they do well.

I was surprised at just how much I enjoyed Tucker and Dale.  It's hard to remember the last time a movie made me laugh so hard.  Horror-comedies are really hard to get right, but Tucker and Dale vs. Evil is hilarious, clever, and great fun from start to finish.  Definitely one of the best horror movies of the last few years.