Film Review: BONEJANGLES (2017)

BONEJANGLES ** U.S.A. 2017 Dir: Brett DeJager. 78 mins

The first scene of this self-conscious, jokey mash-up of sub-genres bodes rather well: as news bulletins warn “conventional weapons are useless” against a supernatural killer in the area, a janitor is fatally force-fed a well-thumbed copy of “Melons and Muff” magazine. Growing up with a misogynist maniac for a Dad (Reggie Bannister, with sparse screen time) and a Voodoo Priestess for a mom, the eponymous “Bonejangles” has survived numerous attempts to kill him and, while being transported by the cops, ends up on the loose in the cursed town of “Argento”, where zombies roam and a virgin sacrifice awaits one luckless bastard.
Peppered with 80’s style in-jokes (references to Smith’s Grove Sanatorium, various quotes and steals from the EVIL DEAD franchise), this cluttered movie reduces the potentially fun Bonejangles to a supporting player in his own movie. It could have made an enjoyable straight slasher, but drowns in dated, juvenile gay jokes (yep, there’s a Squeal Like A Pig gag), irksome overacting and tedious, erection-based Frat boy humour. Some of it amuses – notably a retro styled gratuitous bra-ripping – but things are looking tired even before the predictably rubbish use of CGI blood FX.

Review by Steven West