Where to watch All Cheerleaders Die
4 Stars
This is a loose remake of the 2001 original of the same name. Directors Lucky McKee and Chris Sivertson choose to revisit this material stating that the original was made right after graduating college, and they were looking for a fresh start. A wise decision indeed. The 2001 version was very low budget and this remake makes sense seeing where this duo has come from, and where they’ve gone. It’s always interesting to see a film-maker return to their roots, to see just how far along as an artist they’ve come, but what’s even better is seeing a remake that makes you completely forget about the original.
To be fair I liked the 2001 original. Great it was not, but a fun time still. The remake focuses on Maddy (Caitlin Stasey), whose childhood friend, now cheerleader, dies during a routine. Maddy is angered when her dead friend’s football player boyfriend Terry (Tom Williamson) immediately moves onto another cheerleader, Tracy (Brooke Butler). Maddy’s plan is to infiltrate the cheerleaders and make Terry and Tracy question each other’s fidelity. This soon leads to Maddy really falling for Tracy. When she throws it in Terry’s face he runs them and a few other cheerleaders off the road, killing the group. Maddy’s wiccan ex-girlfriend Leena (Sianoa Smit-McPhee) witnesses the crime and runs to save her beloved Maddy. She drags the girls out of the car and casts a spell on them, bringing their dead bodies back to life. Somewhere between zombie and vampire the girls use their new found powers to get even with the boys partly responsible for their deaths. But Terry has other plans, and may be far more evil than these undead cheerleaders and their wiccan protector had imagined.
All Cheerleaders Die is Bring it On for horror fans with a splash of lesbianism in the likes of D.E.B.S.. This is the movie Jennifer’s Body was trying to be. The acting is great across the board, and no doubt the cast was chosen with looks in mind. Tom Williamson plays one evil jock and seems capable of any violent transgression at any moment. The script is smart, funny and enjoys playing with standard horror tropes. This should appeal to the majority of young horror lovers, but there’s plenty of satire cutting through the sex and gore for the more adult minded fans. This may be my favorite horror film of the year, and certainly the best I’ve seen up until this point. Considering how desensitized horror audiences have become, I’ve found these horror satires to be a welcome break to those desperate for scares, or more often regurgitating scares from past horror flicks. All Cheerleaders Die is a must see for horror comedy fans.
Directors: Lucky McKee, Chris Sivertson
Stars: Caitlin Stasey, Tom Williamson, Brooke Butler, Sianoa Smit-McPhee
I do love a good horror comedy and to read that this was the movie Jennifer’s Body was trying to be makes me smile. I thought that one was playing it too safe. Im a fan of Lucky McKee after May and The Woman. Great Review
Thanks Vern. Jennifer’s Body did feel a bit too Hollywood polished. Interestingly enough this is set up for a sequel or series of flick, no idea if that will actually happen, or if it’s a commentary on how all horror movies seem to be set up for sequels nowadays.