Knights Of Badassdom- Joe Lynch

I was finally able to head out and see a film I have been hearing about for a couple years now. It, like many films before, and most assuredly many after, was lost in developmental hell for a while, and in the end came out without the full blessing or participation of the director.

I would say I am a Joe Lynch fan, yet I really haven't loved any of his movies. "Wrong Turn 2- Dead End" had some amazing gore, and a cartoonish(in a good way)  feel, but overall it did nothing for me. "Chillerama" had some fun moments, but as a whole was not on any of my top lists. In fact, Lynch's was easily my least favorite part of the anthology. Even though I haven't necessarily loved these. I still enjoyed them, and appreciate the passion that is present. Personally, "Holliston" is where most of my Lynch love comes from. It takes the nostalgia I have for shitty eighties sitcoms, and fills it with horror references, and Gwar. 

Most have heard that this was taken away from Lynch,
and cut down to help make it more "accessible." This of course bums me out, as it does anytime a director isn't given final cut, or is generally fucked with by the suits. With that said, I am basing my opinion of the cut I saw. I would love to see Lynch's vision hit the public sometime, but until it does, this is what we have.

Knights starts off with a pretty standard premise. Dude loses girl, so he goes back to having fun with his friends.  In this story fun is drugs and Larping. Joe(Ryan Kwanten), who is our protagonist for this journey used to be an epic Dungeon and Dragons player, but hasn't been paying much attention to it lately. He found a new dragon to chase, its name is vagina. Sure he still lives with his friends in a castle, works with Brian Posehn, and plays in a doom metal band(I think he may be slightly confused on the term), but overall he has given up a good chunk of his life for a warm place to hide his dragon. Now that he is single though, he agrees to head out to an epic battle. While there, his friends accidentally unleash a real life succubus. They now must stop the bitch.

To say this is a perfect film would be insane, granted I am insane, but not completely. It feels rushed, some of the pacing is a bit off, and some of the jokes fall flat. To say this is a horrible film is also insane. I laughed my ass off. As mentioned, not all of the jokes work, but many do, and well.

The effects are overall pretty fucking solid. Mostly practical, and full of fun deaths. There is a creature at the end that had me standing up and cheering. I am talking punching the air excited. Granted the entire last act had me punching like a mother fucker. I felt like I was watching an eighties live action interpretation of Metalocalypse.

The cast is great, and all seem to take their roles the right amount of serious. Peter Dinklage is on top oh is game. Hilarious, badass, and tripping balls. Summer Glau is sexy and believable, while still being pretty badass. Ryan Kwanten and Steve Zahn fit well in the leading roles, while Danny Pudi and Jimmi Simpson support the shit out of everyone. A few cameos in there as well that I will leave unmentioned for your enjoyment.

I hope someday we get to see the intended version of this, but until then. There is no need to not fill your stein with grog, your pipe with herb, and your stomach with shit grown fungus, while spending eighty minutes slaying dragons and falling in love with battle damaged Summer Glau.

4/5


-Tromeric