31 Days of Fright, Day 11: Lo

Welcome to day 11 of 31 Days of Fright here at Road To The Movies! In today's episode, Jonathan falls in love with...

LO
2009
Not Rated

I’m a sucker for horror comedies. There’s something about the mixture of these two completely opposing genres that really intrigues me. Now, I’m not talking about horror movies that are so un-scary that they’re funny, but actual horror comedies. Shaun of the Dead, anything by Sam Raimi (before he forgot how to make movies), and Fido are excellent examples of what I mean. I could watch these movies hundreds of times (and I have) without getting the least bit sick of them. So when I saw Lo on my Netflix queue, I knew I had to watch it. And as with any horror comedy, my expectations were fiercely high. If you’ve read any of my previous reviews, you know they’re not that easy to meet. Lo met my expectations in about ten minutes, and then introduced expectations I didn’t even know I should have for this hybrid genre. Now that’s saying something.

It’s about a man who’s girlfriend has been taken to Hell by a demon, so he summons another demon named (take a wild guess) Lo to help bring her back. This spirals him into a surreal and sometimes genuinely scary journey through his memories with the demon as his guide, and opens his eyes to a world he never knew existed right under his nose. That’s all you’re gonna get for plot, because this is one of those movies that deserves to be watched rather than simply described. The whole film takes place in one single spot, a small pentagram made out of chalk that our protagonist must sit in (lest he desires to become demon fodder). This type of filmmaking can be largely hit-and-miss, depending on how well it’s executed, and this one nails it right on the head. It maintains its intrigue and mystery despite the lack of mobility for the main character which is largely attributed to the talent of the actors involved. It’s obviously an indy film with a limited budget, but they completely embrace this as opposed to letting it hinder the film. The way they portray the main character’s memories is ingenious and absolutely hilarious (again, you’ll have to watch it to find out exactly how).

Most importantly, to me at least, this movie looks and feels like a genuine piece of art. It is well-crafted, well thought out, well-written, and directed superbly. It’s so unique that, even if you don’t find the storyline interesting, I’m confident you’ll be blown away by its refreshing originality. And it really fits all types of people. It will have you laughing, scared silly, and extremely emotionally involved.

Even if you’re not a horror fan at all, this is one to watch.

Part horror, part comedy, part romance, this movie has a little something for everyone. And a lot for people who consider themselves seasoned film buffs. It’s one of those movies that will instantly become a cult classic, and inspire young filmmakers everywhere to do the best with what they have. This, my friends, is as close to perfect as it gets…so give Lo a chance, and you’ll be extremely happy you did.

10/10

-JONATHAN

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