Club Dread Details

This energetic third feature from American comedy group Broken Lizard aims much higher than its predecessors. Unlike 2001's limp Super Troopers, the film has an obvious plot (albeit derivative) and a relatively coherent structure, even if it's not sure what genre it wants to be. A schlocky horror comedy, it plays like Scary Movie meets Cabin Fever, as a machete-wielding psycho picks off the incompetent staff at the booze-soaked party resort of Coconut Pete's Pleasure Island. Although contemporary chillers have long been mixing ironic humour with scares, the group takes the trend to new levels by blending juvenile, goofball laughs with extreme gore. It won't have much appeal beyond its target teen audience, but the combination does make the jumpy moments more unexpected. Such an inconsistent approach also helps camouflage the abysmal acting, particularly that of island owner Bill Paxton whose washed-up pop star turn is cringe-worthy.

From the comedy troupe that created the lamentable Super Troopers (qv) comes an even worse mess of feeble jokes and broad acting.