Hell Baby (2013)

In the past decade the horror genre has been besieged with a string of parodies and spoofs, to the extent that one can be forgiven for feeling a strong case of déjà vu when the trailer for Scary Movie 15 is rolled out at the local multiplex . The latest offering in this sub genre is Hell Baby, a possession spoof written and directed by Reno 911! creators Robert Ben Garant and Thomas Lennon and a film that, against all expectation, manages to breathe a little life and originality back into a concept that is long overdue for some freshness.Expectant parents Jack (Rob Corddry) and Vanessa (Leslie Bibb) end up with more than they bargained for when they purchase a rundown house in the worse neighbourhood in New Orleans. Warned of the house's murderous history by their neighbour/squatter F'Resnel (Keegan Michael Key) the couple soon begin to experience strange goings on in their new home, and when Vanessa herself begins to exhibit signs of possession a collection of inept cops, faith healing in-laws and surly priests descend to try and prevent the Devil begin reborn on earth.Despite its rather unsettling plot description, borrowing from such classics as Rosemary's Baby and The Exorcist, Hell Baby is very much a comedy with only light sprinklings of horror. A few jump scares aside there is no attempt to build tension or suspense, and the whole possession/demonic baby theme is used merely as a vehicle for the laughs. Not that this is a bad thing of course, and Hell Baby should be commended for managing to feel original at a time when every other horror spoof follows the same tired formula. It is refreshing to see a parody that does not always go for the lowest common denominator, and while there is a slight over reliance on repetitive sight gags the majority of the jokes manage to land.The feeling of originality is aided by the performances of the main cast, and it should be no surprise that the film's tone skews more towards chuckles than shrieks given the comedic pedigree on display. The ever reliable Corddry plays the straight man with aplomb, with his reactions and slow unravelling helping to elevate each set piece he features in. Bibb is suitably convincing as the possessed and heavily pregnant Vanessa, while Key arguably steals the show as the flamboyant and inappropriate provider of exposition F'Resnel. Unfortunately things are let down by the support, with Lennon and Garant's stereotypical priests never raising more than a stifled chuckle and Paul Scheer's half of a hapless police duo struggling to achieve the heights of his roles in The League and NTSF:SD:SUV.Hell Baby is the sort of film which is always going to attract snark and negativity. The last 15 minutes run out of steam, there are some jokes which feel a little tired, and some of the questionable decisions made by the characters for the sake of driving the story will likely leave the audience rolling their eyes. But scratch a little deeper and there are some genuinely clever genre elements and observations to be found, as well as a good few laughs along the way. In all, a perfect film for when you want something a little less demanding but don't want to sacrifice quality in order to get it.

This is a 10 minute comedy sketch stretched out to a 98 minute film. Great cast. There is a lot of comedic talent -- writers, creators, actors -- represented here. But the best I could muster were a few smiles. This is clearly a case of comedians making themselves laugh. Not that there's anything wrong with that, as Seinfeld would say.

Another movie that has been rated much lower then it deserves. Hell Baby is a great horror comedy parody with a good cast. Funnily, this movie is actually kind of scary and filled with tension. Usually you don't get a movie that is both scary and comical. It probably all comes down to the actors. They have real talent which helps to give the movie more impact. Of course there are still those too stupid for words moments but if you didn't expect it, what movie did you think you were watching?!?If I had to describe it I think it would be a cross between Rosemary's Baby and the original Scary Movie. It's based on an old classic but hasn't had the chance to get stale yet as we have not been forced to endure sequel after sequel...yet. So if you love the genre ignore the negative reviews and give it a go.

Movie was dreadful, not even funny, or scary. I only finished to the hell baby and that wasn't even worth my pain. The movie was low budget, and had the most horrible acting I've seen. I've seen these actors in other films, though as well. And they're decent to say the least. But I guess they got paid to be worse. the effects were bad. Makeup jobs were horrendously bad, acting, once again, horrible. Glad I didn't pay to watch it. The plot during the movie was pointless. Not good enough to be an actual movie but not funny]bad enough to be a spoof. I advise that if you enjoy low budget no plot movies, this will be just fine for you then, But I definitely would not pay to watch this movie, ever. I don't recommend