Genre: Horror

Director: Chad Werner

Cast: Jeff McQuitty, Katelyn Marie Marshall, and Brady Burleson Johnson

Studio: Uncork’d Entertainment

Runtime: 76 Minutes

Release Date: On digital and DVD February 4th, 2020

Rated: Not Rated

Review Rating ★★★★★

A Perfect Host is probably the best film in the fitness-horror genre. For all intents and purposes, it could possibly be the only film in the fitness-horror genre, but that’s beside the point. I’m sure you’re thinking, “Wait; what is fitness-horror,” which is understandable considering I came up with the term specifically for this review. It’s an apt description of the film though. 

Written and directed by Chad Werner, A Perfect Host follows friends Sam (Jeff McQuitty) and Avery (Katelyn Marie Marshall) as the two arrive at their rented lake-house for the weekend. They’re not alone though as they share the space with their host Tad (Brady Burleson Johnson) and he’s off-putting to say the least. He’s completely obsessed with physical fitness as well as eating healthy. However, as the weekend goes on the two friends find themselves questioning Tad and his seemingly innocuous obsession with health, thus we have our fitness-horror film.

Admittedly, I wasn’t expecting much out of A Perfect Host. The premise is original, and while it sounds fun on paper, I often find that filmmakers don’t truly know what to do with their amusing concepts. I’m happy to say, for this film, that it’s the opposite. Yes, there are flaws; however, overall, A Perfect Host is a complete surprise and a B-Movie blast.

What makes the material work is Werner’s tongue-in-cheek style. Of course, the idea of a fitness nut as your horror antagonist seems a tad silly, but instead of fighting against it, Werner embraces the absurdness of it, using comedy to emphasize the horror. I’m not a fan of jump-scares, they’re usually a cheap way to get a jolt out of a viewer. Then you have the jump-scares involving someone working out or hearing the sudden whir of a blender making a protein shake are somehow endearing and fitting with the pulp tone. 

Johnson’s performance helps balance the film between silliness and genuine tension. He plays the character with a man-child-like attitude that’s both charming yet still off putting.He continues to blur that line as the film progresses. One sequence involving a character watching a series of work-out instructional videos starring Tad, gets increasingly sinister, showcasing his talents of taking something so absurd yet it makes you have a sense of dread of what’s coming next. Johnson’s performance makes Tad one of the more memorable horror villains in recent memory. 

Visually and audibly, the A Perfect Host shines. The cinematography is surprisingly solid with great use of blocking and framing. Since the entire film mainly takes place in the lake-house, effort needs to be taken in order to keep the momentum evolving, and director of photography Brooks Birdsall doesn’t miss a beat. Birdsall knows when to go wide around the characters or when to cut close-up to drive the claustrophobia home. 

The score, done by McQuitty, is also exceptional. It’s reminiscent of 80s horror in its uses of synths. While it does lack melodies and tunes, the score makes up for it by being moody and atmospheric. I do wish there was more of the score though because there are stretches of silence and while silence can drive tension the scenes end up feeling awkward. What I love most about A Perfect Host, however, is the slow-burn approach. Werner waits and builds the tension all the way until the final act; then and only then does he give you release. In those last 20 minutes, the film goes in such an insane direction that it’s worth seeing it for that section alone.

Where A Perfect Host falls a bit flat is in characterization of the protagonists who feel underwritten. Their backstory felt like a storyline out of a teen drama, and the choices and dialogue they say, especially with Sam, can make them quite unlikable. While McQuitty and Marshall try their best, and they do work off each other and Johnson quite well, they never make their characters believable as real people. 

Another element of Werner’s script that’s a misfire is an element involving the character Avery and her history. I’ll do my best to avoid spoilers but, at a certain point, we learn something about her and it serves no narrative purpose outside of trying to make her character tragic and sympathetic. Without saying what it is, her revelation comes across as tasteless and doesn’t mesh with the campy tone of the film.

Outside these missteps, A Perfect Host is a solid fun horror film. If you’re a fan of the more off-kilter style of horror, then this should definitely be right up your alley. Especially if the idea of going to the gym frightens you. 

For more on this film visit:

IMDb: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt8887784/Website: https://www.threehairproductions.com/


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