Coming to DVD Tuesday, June 10th
Cast:
Bostin Christopher as Otis Broth
Ashley Johnson as Riley Lawson
Daniel Stern as Will Lawson
Illeana Douglas as Kate Lawson
Kevin Pollak as Morton Broth
Jere Burns as Agent Hotchkiss
Directed by Tony Krantz
Review:
Otis opens like your typical torture-porn fare, with a young victim shackled in a basement and being tormented by a psychopath. Before long, it becomes obvious that this is no ordinary splatter film. Maybe it’s the sound of Shocking Blue’s “Venus” blaring on the soundtrack, but something tells the viewer that this movie is far more light-hearted. Instead of a sadistic gore fest, director Tony Krantz offers up a satire of suburban America and its fascination with violence. While not always successful, the film does have some entertaining ideas and good performances.
The titular character is a lonely, obese pizza delivery man with a penchant for young girls. More precisely, Otis likes chaining them up in his house and living out his high school fantasies. In this delusion, he is the popular jock and each of his victims is “Kim,” the all-American cheerleader type. After weeks of imaginary football practices and pretend dates, Otis’ ultimate goal is to take “Kim” to the prom (in his basement) and seal the deal in the backseat of his Trans-Am. This twisted fantasy plays out over and over with each new girl he abducts.
The latest kidnapee is Riley Lawson, played by Ashley Johnson. She is a pretty, blonde, straight-A student from a quaint suburban family. Once snatched up by Otis, she is quickly initiated into becoming the next “Kim.” Donning a cheerleader uniform, Riley plays along with his delusional fantasy while quietly plotting her escape. Meanwhile, her worried parents (Daniel Stern and Illeana Douglas) await the latest phone call from Otis asking their permission to take “Kim” to prom. They become increasingly frustrated with the FBI’s failure to find their daughter and soon begin plotting their own brand of justice for the monster who has their child.
Despite a plot that could easily belong to a grindhouse film or a Lifetime original movie, Otis is not gory or heavy-handed. Krantz keeps the mood light throughout. This is largely helped by the soundtrack, which is full of ’70s and ’80s music. Not only does it exude playfulness, but it ties into the prom theme. Also, the film has a few funny moments, but unfortunately many of the jokes fail. One major problem is the juxtaposition of Otis’ attempted rape/torture scenes with cheesy gags back at the Lawson house. These jokes helped keep the mood light, but should have been more subtle and better placed.
The script takes more than a few jabs at the media. We see recurring nightly news broadcasts featuring an ignorant anchorwoman reporting on all the girls viciously “raped and mutilated” by the so-called Kim Killer. It is a humorous but accurate criticism, as the American news media always seems more obsessed with brutal violence than any horror movie. Otis also satirizes American suburbia by completely twisting the nuclear family image. In the film’s second act, the Lawson’s are transformed from normal suburbanites into merciless vigilantes. Think Sympathy for Lady Vengeance, but funnier. Ironically, Otis is never seen actually killing anyone, but the same cannot be said for the good guys.
Illeana Douglas and Daniel Stern are very good as Riley’s desperate parents. This is a different sort of role for Stern, who portrays Mr. Lawson as meek and awkward. Both actors are funny here, especially as they near the film’s end. Ashley Johnson is also good as the defiant Riley, though her role slips away in the second half. Another actor worth mentioning is Kevin Pollack, who shows up as Otis’ abusive brother. The character sheds some insight into the “Kim” obsession, but unfortunately not enough. Still, Pollack entertains. In the role of Otis himself, Bostin Christopher is sufficiently creepy. Even when his brother is picking on him, he does not elicit much sympathy.
The movie’s final act is where it veers off-course. It builds up to a climax that never happens and the abrupt ending leaves you feeling cheated. This is all the more disappointing after the strength of the Lawson-revenge scenes. Even a few minutes more at the end of the film could have been a major improvement.
If you are looking for a solid scare, Otis may not be the right choice. There is very little gore or even tension. Instead, the film aims to parody the nuclear family via the torture sub-genre, much like Fido parodied the nuclear family via the zombie sub-genre. When subtle, Otis‘ satire works well. It’s weak third act and hit-or-miss humor tends to drag the film down, but it remains a unique contribution to the ever-expanding field of horror satires.
