Little do the Avon Bard folks know that Prospero has long been planning an act of brutal revenge against them since the ’90s when he and his daughter Miranda (Kate McGarrigle) took up residence in a former crackhouse in Tromaville, New Jersey. With the crackhouse came his slave, Caliban (played wonderfully by Monique Dupree). He has also enlisted the help of crack-addicted, handicapped hooker Ariel (Amanda Flowers) to lure Big Al, Antoinette, Senator Sebastian (Debbie Rochon), and all who have done him wrong, into a literal sh**storm. Yes, there are whales, and a lot of sh*t, but this is a Troma movie, you must remember.
Since this is a Troma movie, and Mr. Kaufman is at the helm, anyone, or anything, is up for lampooning or criticism. Whether it be the pharmaceutical industry and the opioid crisis, social justice warriors, and cancel culture, the media, or Shakespeare himself. #ShakespearesSh**storm has the message that nothing can be accomplished unless everyone joins together towards a common goal, which is represented in one of the most ridiculous ways I’ve ever seen on film, even for Troma. With that, Troma alumnus Doug Sakmann and his team’s special effects are some of the most ambitious I’ve seen so far in a Troma film.
“…hilarious, subversive, and full of weird jokes…”
As far as loyalty to the Shakesperean source, you can’t get too picky about that if you want to enjoy the movie. Although writer Brandon Bassham does get some of the bard’s words in there, it’s definitely its own thing. The script is hilarious, subversive, and full of weird jokes, which is what I would expect with Doug Sakmann and Zac Amico’s additional material on top of Bassham and Kaufman’s contributions. Zac Amico is also behind one of #ShakespearesSh**storm‘s funniest characters, Lindy West, an avid social justice warrior. According to West, she is “a plus-sized woman with full-size opinions, thank you.” He’s also behind a funny, relevant tribute to The Warriors that I was lucky enough to have been there while it was shot. There are also, somehow, on top of everything else, several musical numbers throughout the movie.
Altogether, if you are a Troma fan, you will not be disappointed by #ShakespearesSh**storm. It is possibly the ultimate Troma movie. It’s a love letter to Troma, the people who have worked there, and it’s fans, all while being a silly gross-out extravaganza. I think that this film might even be a great introduction to Troma for those who have never seen one of their films before, considering its relevance to our times. I loved the movie, but as I said, I’m invested. I can only hope that everyone else who sees it shares in my adoration.
#ShakespearesSh**storm premiered at the 2020 Fantasia Film Festival.
"…Since this is a Troma movie...anyone or anything is up for lampooning or criticism."
