It appears “public domain horror movies” at the moment are a correct factor: a cinematic subgenre of gory, uber-schlocky fearmongering that revolves round a well known mental property, often from the realm of kids’s leisure, whose copyright has expired. That means the makers are free to show a beloved character into a murderous man-beast psychopath, with the Winnie-the-Pooh derived Blood and Honey franchise a major instance.
Meanwhile, the second black-and-white cartoon Steamboat Willie, the 1928 debut of Mickey Mouse, entered the general public area, nearly half a dozen Mickey-themed slasher pics have been born, like spores launched from a fruiting physique. In a really low-bar setting, I Heart Willie is maybe a tick higher than earlier public area horrors, or perhaps now we have reached the movie critic’s equal of Stockholm syndrome, with our defences worn down by shoddy manufacturing values, originality deficits and lame performances.
At least I Heart Willie presents a considerably uncommon backdrop: it’s set in Michoacán, a western state of Mexico, the place 4 youngsters, who principally converse English although three of them are locals, set out on the lookout for hassle, as children are wont to do in these movies. They’ve heard of a home within the space haunted by a lifeless German mouse-boy named Willie; turns out rumours of his loss of life are considerably exaggerated as he’s nonetheless there and fairly buff (and is performed by the movie’s screenwriter David Vaughn), though half of his pores and skin is roofed in mutilated latex and he wears a do-it-yourself mouse masks more often than not.
Willie spends his time mutilating randoms who wander on to his property whereas blasting aptly public area recordings reminiscent of Wagner’s Ride of the Valkyries. Inevitably, almost each member of the crew will get picked off, however there’s a twist, with one of many celebration not precisely who they appear to be. Final woman Maya Luna stars as Nora, a seemingly prim-in-pink kind who shows a powerful performing vary. Her charisma and dedication to this nonsense elevates the fabric simply sufficient to make the advertising push behind this appear justified. That stated, let’s not let the movie’s tedious sadism and crappy dialogue off the hook.
