TIFF Review: ‘Get the Hell Out’
The beginning of ‘Get the Hell Out’ highlights the following disclaimer: “If you choose the wrong movie, you only have to wait 90 minutes; if you choose the wrong parliament, you have to wait four years.”
Wang I-Fan’s debut feature ‘Get the Hell Out’ is a wild ride through its fast-paced 96 minute runtime, savoring in its chaos of gory violence and tacky comical situations. From the aesthetically pleasing visuals to the Tarantino-like action, ‘Get the Hell Out’ is an entertaining yet illogical film that will appeal to zombie film lovers.
Surprisingly, the first thirty minutes of film make it seem like an over-the-edge political comedy but after an entertaining character study, we get to the fun part. The zombie raid. Wang’s direction and screenplay is all over the place which is entertaining for a few and debilitating for others. At its most noticeably awful, the film feels like it’s tossing anything it can at the viewers. However it does make up for a few shocking, silly, and exciting clichés, as you never know what is coming up ahead. This film can be called unexpected to the very least.
‘Get the Hell Out’ spends a large amount of time exploring its characters, and setting the table for a supreme zombie massacre. It flawlessly illustrates how awful the concept of a parliament is and the way it uses satire in mocking the political state of different countries today is just hilarious. This is the kind of smart satire that will fly right over the audience’s heads. And while there’s a ton of plot holes that are left unattended, the film manages to deliver in a way that will leave gore fans wholly satisfied.
To conclude, there isn’t much to say about ‘Get the Hell Out’ except for a number of aspects that make it enjoyable. Most of the direction is surface-level, which isn’t a terrible thing because at least it keeps viewers hooked till the very end. It may not be the finest zombie film, but it triumphs in giving tremendous amounts of entertainment and comedy, and a fast-paced, stripped-down story that’s bound to keep audiences engaged. Don’t expect too much, and you’ll have a decent 96 minutes. After all, in these troubling times, such movies are essential to lighten the mood. – Nabeel Zaman
Rating: 3/5
Get the Hell Out debuted at the 2020 Toronto International Film Festival. You can find more info on the film’s official Facebook page.