Weedjies! Halloweed Night

The CGI, when used, is integrated well into the scenes and fit the overall aesthetic well. But these are things that even the blandest of Full Moon flicks, such as Skull Heads, can point to as net positives. Happily, Weedjies! has a rather tight script. Written by Shane Bitterling, based on a story by Brockton McKinney and Charles Band, the characters are likable and easy to root for. While they don’t have a lot of depth to them, they do each feel different and are believable as friends. Dallas’s constant rebuffs of Claude are amusing, as are Madison and Frankie’s subtle pushes towards getting the two together.

The Baroness is an especially boisterous and fun presence. This is due to her dialogue and the actress, Denise Milfort, owning the role in every way. She goes big with it and really stands out in an enjoyable manner. As the main group, Hargrave, Strange, Ying, and Lee are also quite charming. Lee has the doofus, befuddled nerd role, but he overcomes the stereotype to make for a fun and sweet romantic lead. His chemistry with Strange works. They have a dance sequence together that is one of the biggest laughs in the film.

Hargrave is believable as the heart and glue of the group. When she explains the final clue to some confused costumed scavengers, it is pretty funny. Ying has the broadest of all the man roles, but she brings a pleasant energy to the whole thing. I would be remiss if I didn’t mention James Adam Tucker, as the Ganga Ghost- the spirit referee of Baroness’s twisted game- who is delightful at every turn.

“… it looks like a direct to video flick, though the lighting makes for some great looking sequences.”

Weedjies! does not entirely overcome that familiar Full Moon aesthetic. That is just a fancy way of saying it looks like a direct to video flick, though the lighting makes for some great looking sequences. Director Danny Draven keeps the film moving at a nice pace, so the movie never gets boring, and no joke lasts so long as to be annoying. That isn’t to say every joke lands, but most of them do, and the ones that don’t are immediately followed up by a cool kill or better joke.

Piggybacking off of that issue would be the major flaw in the film. There are several obvious continuity issues, especially in the first 20-minutes, that throw the viewer for a loop. After the Halloween lovers arrive for the party, Frankie, dressed as a mummy queen, is holding a sarcophagus, which houses the entry fees for the party. Cut to the various people dancing, eating, and drinking, then back to her. She spins around to go onto the main dance floor and the box of money she has vanished. A few other moments like that pop-up, which prevents the film from becoming great.

Weedjies! Halloweed Night may not be perfect, but it proves the Deadly Ten experiment to be a rousing success. Thanks to a game cast, energetic directing, a witty screenplay, and excellent creature designs, this is Full Moon’s most fulfilling outing in years. With nine more titles to go under the Deadly Ten banner, this has me looking forward to each one.