As we all know, February is Women In Horror Month and I can’t think of a better title for you to add to your watch lists than Bad Apples. Although women held a variety of roles behind the scenes, Bad Apples is unique because it features two female killers and a female protagonist. In this new movie from Coin-Op Flix, it’s Halloween and a pair of playful yet disturbed young ladies go on a home invasion and murder spree; ultimately saving their worst tricks and treats for a couple who moved in down town. Brea Grant, Graham Skipper, Alycia Lourim, Heather Vaughn, Richard Riehle, Diane Goldner and Miles Dougal star in this brutal, blood splattered horror flick that mixes Rob Zombie influences with The Strangers. Written, directed and produced by Bryan Coyne, Bad Apples is premiering on most VOD outlets on February 6, 2018 courtesy of Uncork’d Entertainment. Here’s why you should check it out.
Bryan Coyne is quickly becoming a major player in the world of horror, and I remembered his name from his work on 2015’s Infernal. Bad Apples was also produced by Josh Russell, Sierra Russell and Jason Miller, with Will Barratt handling cinematography and Paul Hough working as editor. I hope this team works again in the future because their mash-up of talent resulted in what I would consider one of the best releases of 2018… and we’re only about nine days into that terrain. Again, Bad Apples is going to be a movie you’ll want to watch at the end of February to celebrate bad ass women in horror and to usher in The Strangers 2: Prey at Night, which hits theaters in March. Backtracking to familiar faces, I was pleasantly surprised to see scream queen Brea Grant leading the show in Bad Apples. She made it big after playing Myra Rockwell in Rob Zombie’s Halloween II and after recurring on “Dexter” in 2011, and I have to say her acting chops are getting better as time marches on. Also, Graham Skipper is becoming a scream king to watch out for and I’m glad to see him highlighted so well in this movie.
And shout out to Richard Riehle (Casino, Office Space, Ghosts of Mississippi) and Miles Dougal (Psycho Cop Returns, Bikini Squad, Detroit Rock City). These dudes are cult movie royalty and they add an extra level of old Hollywood style to Bad Apples. I know I’ve been rambling for a bit, but the best way to summarize my thoughts is to say that I wish Bad Apples was going to theaters in February instead of VOD. It has a lot of value to it as a piece of cinema and it’s bound to grab its target audience by the balls. From the brutal opening to the pure Halloween themed ending, Bad Apples further establishes Uncork’d Entertainment as one of the best film distributors on the block. What this movie lacks in plot and character development, it more than makes up for in cat and mouse home invasions, special effect bloodbaths, and a creep factor that’s sky high from the moment Brea Grant moves into town. Seriously, the whole burb is pretty fucked up. A new house, a new town, and a new job, she already had enough to worry about before killer children, weird neighbors, and an old urban legend came knocking at her door.
Honestly, Bad Apples is all you could ever want from a film that takes place around Halloween season. Great performances, expert cinematography and flawless editing. This one’s in a league of its own. It even capitalizes on the Trick R Treat theme of keeping your lights and decorations up all night if you don’t want something bad to happen to you. Plus, the way Bryan Coyne ended the feature, there might be some room to turn this into a series. I would definitely be down for that! Bad Apples is a high body count, awkward thriller with two crazy female killers driving the story – and the knives – forward. It has tremendous rewatchability and the killers’ masks are effective as Hell. I almost forgot to mention that. I could go on about this one all day, but I think you got the point by now. This one’s, quite simply, a dark and disturbing splatterfest and a walking homage to some of the best films of our generation. Loved it. Final Score: 9 out of 10.
