Gravestoned and Hilarity: A Movie Review

Director: Michael McWillie.

Writer: Michael McWillie

A Painted Pictures production Gravestoned was released November 3rd on DVD through Indigenous Film Works and the film, while sometimes silly is a good time for those in the mood for something fun. Gravestoned stars Lar Park Lincoln (Friday the 13th Part VII) and Eryn Brooke (The Lawless) in a film that while comedic struggles to find cohesiveness amongst some technical flaws. Thankfully, director McWillie does not take himself or the film too seriously so that, despite this horror film's imperfections, Gravestoned comes through as an enjoyable time spent laughing at harmless things like stoned Scotty dogs.

The film starts off with two shady horror enthusiasts looking for a realistic looking severed arm, as they are the special effects team on a low-budget slasher film. Things take a bizarre turn when this special effects team cuts off the arm of a living corpse! Fast forward a bit and the production crew for the flick begins scouting a local graveyard that is now inhabited by the limbless zombie-esque antagonist. The horror begins as this living dead body, brought back to life takes out his limbless frustrations on the rehearsing cast and crew. Cue hilarity, add a random music video with cheerleaders, sprinkle in some gorey sex and there you have Gravestoned, a "flick for stoners."

The tone of light enjoyment will seep into your consciousness through these scenes and more, as a Scotty dog acts human-like in many scenes (a perverted one). Also, two absent minded grave-diggers spend more time smoking pot than digging graves, while oblivious to the horrific events around them. Other comedic highlights abound; however, the film suffers from some minor continuity problems and a lack of cohesion or unifying theme. Is this a comedic picture or horror?

Many of the characters in Gravestoned are added to increase the body count and boom mikes plus set pieces appear then disappear, strangely during a viewing of the film. As well, a group of sorority girls, while sexy, are really added only to titillate before being splattered across the screen later in the film. Not much later, the addition of some amateur male actors on the set signals the start of some sex scenes and one involves a third party (boom mike). Scripts in character's hand appear then disappear and the continuity errors continue. Each of the flaws are small, but the technical mistakes add up over time and the absence of a structured story means that Gravestoned must rely on being sexy and fun.

Already out on DVD Gravestoned is a fun independent horror picture that blends both comedy and gore in a short ninety minutes. Not technically perfect, and few films are, Gravestoned can be enjoyed lucid or with chemical additives despite the tagline: "Gravestoned, the comedy horror flick for stoners."

Editing/continuity/pacing: 6.
Writing/believability/subject material: 5.5.
Setting/authenticity/impressionistic: 7.

Overall: 6 tokes out of 10.

For more info' on the film visit the homepage of Gravestoned here:

Gravestoned Webpage

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Posted in: 2009,cast,crew,horror,independent,movie poster,movie review,plot,plot summary,thriller