I’ll admit I was in the minority when it came to my criticism on 2016’s The Void, co-directed by make-up artist extraordinaire, Steven Kostanski, but I was a fan of some of his earlier work with films like Father’s Day and Manborg. If you’ve read part two of my series on Asian Horror here on the site, then you know I love when make-up artists get in the director’s chair because you’re always, at least, in for a feast on the eyes. And now, having built his chops enough to land gigs on such prestigious titles like Star Trek: Discovery and Suicide Squad, it’s always exciting to see what he cooks up when he goes back to his roots and is creating solely for himself. Enter, Psycho Goreman, Kostanki’s latest stint as director. Part dark comedy, part sci-fi, part splatter film, “PG”, as his child wranglers eventually and affectionately call him, is a wildly entertaining romp through the warped mind of this make-up technician who also takes on writing duties in this feature.

The premise of the film is simple enough: Our title character is from the planet Gigax (a clever spelling of the last name of Dungeons and Dragons co-creator, Gary Gygax, I’m guessing) and was trapped and banished long ago to the planet Earth in a tomb sealed by the very amulet that gives him his world destroying powers. All of this revealed and set up by an opening text roll that is reminiscent of so many films from the era I assume was influential to this one. From the opening, we’re immediately introduced to our two adolescent sibling co-stars, Mimi, the brash and bossy little sister to Luke, who is practically everything that is the complete opposite of Mimi. Right off the bat, when you have two characters that are so diametrically opposed to each other, you know you’re in for some hilarious onscreen conflict. Upon playing a game of “crazy ball,” (think The Goldbergs’ brothers “Ball-Ball” game, wherein the rules are completely made up and nonsensical, but in this instance the loser must be buried alive and the winner deemed champion of the world) Mimi and Luke come across the intergalactic holding cell deep beneath their backyard. Once Mimi releases the amulet from the seal, the alien overlord within is mistakenly released to the world. The one catch? The person who possesses the amulet carries complete control over the monster. Then, as the old saying goes, “hilarity ensues.” It is important here to place a focus on the weird game of crazy ball as it does come into play later on and even plays an important role in the final conflict.

What makes the film so funny is of course the interaction between the bossy Mimi and the homicidal Psycho Goreman with PG making comments in the vein of, “I’ll be happy when you’re dead!” or “You will suffer an eternity for this!” all with the steady cold delivery of a sociopath. He means what he says, and believes it too, but in the context of the these two innocent siblings controlling a murderous alien monster, it’s gonna draw laughs every time.

Soon enough, word spreads across the galaxy that PG has been awakened and the planetary alliance of alien species that previously enslaved him must send their greatest warrior to recapture or destroy him. And so we meet Pandora leader of the ruthless Templars who, like the real and ancient order they’re named after, are fierce fighters led by their beliefs in a higher power. Once she appears on Earth, she assumes the form of a human and begins to get the intel on PG’s whereabouts. At the same time, Psycho Goreman’s loyal troop of assassins, named the Paladins of Obsidian have beat Pandora to the punch and have already located PG. But before our title character can celebrate, he learns that his trusty paladins have come, not to help him, but instead to secure the bounty and glory of defeating PG for themselves. A great fight scene ensues that ends with a pretty graphic Goreman eating one of his fallen foes, a tradition on the planet Gigax that is meant as an honorable end to a defeated enemy.

Shortly after, Pandora locates PG and transforms Mimi’s mom into one of her loyal warriors to fight alongside her in the final battle. But Mimi insists on a game of crazy ball instead, which of course PG knows very well from having spent time with the children. With Mimi’s team winning, Pandora retaliates in anger and a real fight takes place with Goreman getting severely injured in the process. Knowing fully well that the only way he can survive and beat Pandora, Mimi relinquishes control of the amulet back to PG, but only after he promises to spare her and her family afterwards during his eventual destruction of the planet. Which he does.

Yeah, you definitely can’t go into Psycho Goreman with any expectation of a serious film, because it’s not. Psycho Goreman doesn’t take itself seriously. Even in a post credits sequence, we’re taken back to the meeting room of the Planetary Alliance where they all contemplate who will be the first to kill themselves now that Psycho Goreman is free and certainly determined to come back and finish them all off. But that’s what makes PG so much fun. Between the over the top killings and gore effects, to the child like behaviors of our main characters, you can’t help but laugh out loud throughout the entire film, much like most of Kostanski’s previous body of work. Have you seen his short, Bio-Cop?

As expected, the make-up, costume design, and visual effects are also to be highlighted here as Kostanski prides himself on using practical applications whenever possible. Lots of foam rubber on display here with most of the alien life forms wearing complete suits from head to toe. The character designs are straight out of your favorite ‘90s live action import from Japan like Power Rangers or Masked Rider, which was probably intentional given Kostanki’s love affair with all things retro. Just the time it must have taken to perfect each look of the different members of the Planetary Alliance and Paladins of Obsidian, not to mention, then applying it, is mind numbing!

I did have one gripe with the sound, which could have just been the theater I was in, but I did feel like the center audio channel (which is usually where the dialogue is mixed) was a little low. But it was so minuscule an issue; it barely even warrants a mention here. Other than that, I loved this film with every ounce of my being and look forward to seeing it again in the comfort of my own home where I can slo-mo and pause every blood gushing kill. With Shudder handling distribution, it should only be a matter of time before it appears on the streaming service; if it isn’t already there by the time you read this. It’s also enjoying a very large release across all digital rental platforms as well, if you can’t stand to wait, and you really shouldn’t.

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Written by Dan