Every now and then, a film comes along that’s hard not to get amped up about, and I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t looking forward to this one. Deathgasm starts off with potential, but unfortunately, things get dumbed down rather quickly. Reminiscent of ‘80s flicks I grew up on that skillfully mixed metal and horror (The Gate and Trick or Treat are just a couple of examples that come to mind), the film follows a group of teenage metal fans that start a band and eventually summon demonic forces by playing some sheet music they obtained via a reclusive, former rock icon of theirs. Milo Cawthorne does an admirable job as lead outcast Brodie, and Kimberley Crossman adds some definite sex appeal as his crush Medina.
I get that there’s splatter fans out there craving gore, but shock value in horror films has never been a strong selling point for me personally (death by sex toys or chainsaws in someone’s backside are a bit beyond my taste). Just once, I’d like to see a modern movie with a like concept that doesn’t have to take things to such a low-brow level, ultimately just enforcing the old stereotype that metal heads are nothing more than just brainless burnouts. Deathgasm was crafted for a specific group of individuals, and there’s no doubt that those it’s geared towards should find it appealing. I’ll probably be the lone wolf willing to be critical here, but I can’t justify recommending this (even if “my kind” are supposed to like it) to anyone. Deathgasm was fun enough (at times, anyway) for a watch, but I don’t think I’ll be going out of my way to see it again anytime soon; if nothing else, at least the music in it was pretty good. (Jesse Striewski)
