Tries so hard to be an instant cult classic, but it doesn't quite make the cut.
Jack Brooks: Monster Slayer (2008)
Tomatometer
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Reviews Counted:25
Fresh:16
Rotten:9
Average Rating:6/10
Consensus: A sincere but sometimes-excessive send up of low-rent horror hokum, Jack Brooks: Monster Slayer features some sharp laughs and features a scene-stealing performance by Robert Englund.
Synopsis:
After witnessing the brutal murder of his family, Jack Brooks is left with an unquenchable fury that he is constantly fighting to control.
Now working as a local plumber and struggling in a...
After witnessing the brutal murder of his family, Jack Brooks is left with an unquenchable fury that he is constantly fighting to control.
Now working as a local plumber and struggling in a relationship with his girlfriend Eve, Jack's life has become a downward spiral. One night, Jack attempts to fix Professor Crowley's old, rusted pipes, but unknowingly awakens an ancient evil. Lured by this demonic power, Professor Crowley discovers a monstrous black heart that quickly forces its way inside of him. Possessed by the heart now beating in his chest, the professor starts a slow, gruesome transformation. Jack realizes he can't run from his past, and quickly discovers the true purpose of his inner rage. --© Slamdance Film Festival
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Starring: Trevor Matthews, Robert Englund, Rachel Skarsten
Starring: Trevor Matthews, Robert Englund, Rachel Skarsten
Director: Jon Knautz
Director: Jon Knautz
Screenwriter: John Ainslie
Studio: Anchor Bay Entertainment
Reviews for Jack Brooks: Monster Slayer
Indie effort evidences more energy than wit, and spends too much time on set-up before a slam-bang pay-off.
An old-school horror movie with nary a digital effect, Jack Brooks: Monster Slayer is about exactly what its title implies -- a dude named Jack, who slays monsters.
Manages to kick a copious amount of ass by breathing some much needed fresh air into the flattened lungs of our genre.
a potentially duff idea (disgruntled plumber finds outlet for his anger issues by kicking monster butt) is elevated by the funniest character acting of the entire FrightFest 2008.
Jack Brooks: Monster Slayer harks back to the drive-in classics of yesteryear with unapologetic nostalgia and undisguised affection.
Matthews is supposed to be the star here, but it's Englund's hilarious, over-the-top performance that keeps Jack Brooks: Monster Slayer... from becoming another forgettable exercise in horror.
A polite tip of the hat to Evil Dead and all things Buffy, this horror/comedy is lacking proper oomph in both categories, resulting in a movie of commendable purpose, but lackluster realization.
This low-budget horror comedy arrives via a lively trailer and a witty print ad, yet the film itself never quite takes off.
For about an hour of running time nothing much actually happens . . .
This old-school throwback to '80s era horror movies takes pride in the teen screams extracted by its goo-spurting, tentacled monster and his newly minted henchmen as they attack an unfortunate group of young college students.
...believe the hype for Jack Brooks: Monster Slayer; this is a fun, monster-filled movie that knows exactly what it wants to be and I hope only the first of many movies in what could easily be a really kickass franchise.
For artistic representation, Jack Brooks: Monster Slayer gets a near-perfect score, less so for its restrained sense of fun.
MONSTER SLAYER is only the birth of Jack Brooks and I pray we'll see another dozen of these films in the future... You want laughs, action, blood, guts, slime, creatures and a kick-ass anti-hero? You'll find it all in JACK BROOKS: MONSTER SLAYER.
Miraculously fusing the scary and ridiculous, 'Freddy Kreuger' Englund steals this show, whether steamed up from that bad plumbing, dealing with complications of male pregnancy, or weirdly delighting as the reluctant glutton just eating your heart out.
As refreshing as it is to see an entire 'genre' film without a single CG effect -- because they obviously couldn't afford one -- Jack Brooks: Monster Slayer doesn't bring much to the monster party to justify itself.
Despite a game performance by Trevor Matthews in the lead, not much in this alleged comic/horror flick really succeeds as either funny or scary.
With a Buffy-like title and a poster that recalls Bruce Campbell at his buffest, Jack Brooks: Monster Slayer should have horror fans eager for a little low-budget monster mash chomping at the bit. They won't be disappointed.
Latest News for Jack Brooks: Monster Slayer
August 22, 2008:
Miraculously fusing the scary and ridiculous, 'Freddy Kreuger' Englund steals this show, whether steamed up from that bad plumbing, dealing with complications of male pregnancy, or weirdly delighting as the reluctant glutton just eating your heart out. ![]()
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August 03, 2008:
Trailer & Poster review ![]()
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February 03, 2008:
Jack Brooks: Monster Slayer (2007): Slamdance trailer [video] ![]()
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