Ever After is a campy fairy tale slasher powered by horror icons

Michael Berryman as The Hunter in Ever After - Image courtesy of Level 33 Entertainment

We've had several fairy tale horror movies over the last few years, including most recently Pinocchio: Unstrung, which turns the puppet into a brutal killer. What makes Ever After unique, however, is the number of horror icons in the movie and the campy performances they give as well-known fairy tale characters. Yes, the movie is gory and bloody, but it's also a lot of fun because it's so over-the-top and absurd.

The movie, written and directed by Laszlo Illes, follows a group of young women who venture to a secluded forest lodge for a bachelorette party. Before that even happens, however, Michael Berryman (The Hills Have Eyes) appears on screen as The Hunter, who's essentially renting out lodging to two other hunters. Minutes later, we're introduced to a rather vicious version of Little Red Riding Hood (Riana Emma Balla), and it sets the tone for what's to come in the rest of the movie, that being lots of kills and utter ridiculousness.

Overall, the movie has some major positives. The kills look great. There's little spared in terms of the blood, guts, and gore, and that's why this movie will likely please slasher fans. It's also a blast watching horror legends play warped versions of fairytale characters. For example, Kane Hodder, best known as playing Jason Voorhees in the later Friday the 13th movies, voices the Big Bad Wolf, and lands some great one-liners, especially during his interactions with Berryman's The Hunter. Malcolm McDowell voices the Frog King and mostly speaks in verse and rhyme, while Bonnie Aarons (The Nun) gives an overly dramatic performance as The Witch, and she's an absolute delight to watch on screen. It seems like she had a lot of fun stepping into such a campy role.

In terms of villains, one standout is Philippe Reinhardt's version of Prince Charming. His introduction is especially great, when he shows up at the bachelorette party, drawing laughs and mockery from the young women. The dude also has a major foot fetish, and he's a mamma's boy, but Reinhardt really makes the character a unique and quirky villain. Mark Sheppard (Supernatural) is another highlight as The Ringmaster. He doesn't show up until the film's final act, but he makes the most of his screen time. If I have one complaint about the number of horror icons in this movie, it's that they rarely, if ever, appear on screen together. How cool would it have been if say, Hodder and Aarons actually had a scene together, or Berryman and Sheppard? Some of the roles feel a bit limited, but it's still cool to see this cast in action, even if some of it is mostly voice work. The villains that get the most screen time are the masked Three Little Pigs, and they're a brutal force that constantly stalk the women, no matter where they hide or how fast they run. They're a menacing and opposing trio that dominate much of the film.

The film would have benefited, however, from fleshing out the female characters a little more and making them distinct. Even the ones that make it to the last act don't quite feel like fully realized characters, let alone final girl material. If there is a sequel to this film and some of these characters return, hopefully they're given a little more backstory and development. There's also a bit of a pacing issue. The last act specifically feels long, as if the movie could have ended one or two times before it finally does, though the circus set design does look really good, and as already stated, Sheppard plays a great diabolical Ringmaster.

Overall, Ever After is a fun, bloody, and entertaining slasher that features horror icons offering their twisted takes on familiar fairy tale characters. Yes, the film is campy and silly with some warts, but it paints the woods red and has a good time doing so.

Ever After is now playing in U.S. and Canadian theaters.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kHZKQQDQ_MU