Review: President Evil

27th November 2018

Days before the November mid-term election, three young women who identify as Muslim, Mexican and Haitian are stalked by a deranged person. Erratically driving a Republican-type branded SUV and dressed as Donald Trump, the driver comes complete with a too-long tie and perfectly awful mask. As hideous Trump masks complete with billowing hair are handed out, the terror grows. Harassment, terror, disgust, revolt, racism, Fiesta Boxes of crap, and a bunch of disillusioned people. It’s starting to sound like an ordinary day in the United States of America.

If most of the exchanges are based on reality, and you can’t make this stuff up, then the US is in a worse state than I had imagined. From writer/director Richard Lowry (Apocalypse Rising, A Lesson in Cruelty) comes this schlock-political-horror comedy apparently inspired by John Carpenter’s HALLOWEEN (1978). A Michael Myers – Donald Trump connection. Yep, I can see that. The visual references to Halloween were on point as was the music, although overwhelmingly present. Normally this amount of musical distraction appears when the director can’t bear to leave anything out, thinks the audience has no imagination, or has no control over the editor. In the case of this film, its inspiration was as one reviewer put it: “a thrill ride designed simply to leave the audience shaking with fear”. Documentary or fiction – it’s difficult to tell. Despite a few funny moments whatever its genre, it’s anything but comedy.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=umdLEOyIjJY

Unrelated to the Japanese media franchise Resident Evil, this film, including zombies (living or dead who knows…) appears to be a way for writers Lowry & Gregory Wolk to evacuate the worst of the current US regime.

When a film arrives in the inbox with ‘piece of shit’ as its password, it raises specific pre-viewing questions like do I have time in my life to lose 90 minutes. This is a film with a message rather than one trying to attract viewers. Or it’s possible that those living in Trump-land need to evacuate their disbelief at the current situation and what better way to do it than a ‘horror’ film. If you are ready to awkwardly laugh about the situation or gasp in disbelief, then this is probably a film for you. Or you could just have a look at twitter for the same.

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