Written by: Josh "The Merc" Raynor
William Bagley’s latest horror comedy, Hold The Fort, is a wild ride of carnage, laughter, and mayhem. It’s ridiculous and gory and awesomely campy in the best ways possible, with a fun and fresh premise: When a picture-perfect suburban neighborhood discovers their HOA is sitting on a portal to Hell, it’s up to a handful of overzealous board members to defend their lawns, property values, and very souls. Armed with knitting needles, wooden swords, and lots and lots of guns, these homeowners battle spirits, witches, and werewolves in the bloodiest block party of the year.
One of the best things going for it is its tight runtime of only 74 minutes, which forces it to jump right into the craziness instead of bogging the audience down with unnecessary exposition. We learn what’s going on in this neighborhood right alongside the main characters, Lucas and Jenny, who have just moved into their new home. We get teased right away that this is no ordinary HOA-run suburban neighborhood, but it’s not long before the action kicks in and these characters are in the thick of things, fighting for their lives.
Bagley knows just how to embrace the silly campiness of a story like this, as he did something very similar with his 2021 horror comedy, The Murder Podcast. He even managed to bring over several actors from that film for this new one, which really helped to put his stamp on this film. He’s not afraid to get really goofy, leaning into the humor, and filling scenes with a plethora of blood and gore.
Hold The Fort is a really fun mix of horror and comedy with satirical undertones, taking the idea of an unusual neighborhood and throwing in lots of blood and monsters. It’s like if you took The Cabin In The Woods, The Burbs, and Ready or Not and threw them all in a blender. That might sound really strange, but this movie is exactly that — strange, but in a good way.
Now, while I did have a blast watching this, it’s not without its flaws. For one, there’s barely any character development throughout the film. I’m not saying there’s none, because there definitely is, but not much. Most of the characters are one-note caricatures serving as sacrificial lambs for the story. Not that there’s anything wrong with that, it just prevents the audience from caring about most of them.
Also, being a lower budget film, there’s noticeable limitations in certain aspects of the production value. However, in many instances, this actually helps to sell the comedic tone of the film, boosting the absurdity of what’s happening in the moment.
In the end, Hold the Fort proves that you don’t need a massive budget or deep philosophy to deliver a damn good time — just a killer concept, a gleeful love of monsters, and the courage to make fun of suburban normalcy while covered in fake blood. It’s scrappy, self-aware, and utterly unpretentious, embracing chaos with the enthusiasm of a neighborhood barbecue gone infernal. Whether you’re in it for the laughs, the gore, or the cathartic joy of watching HOA rules literally go up in flames, this is one hell of a crowd-pleaser. So be sure to check out this indie gem as soon as you’re able. And don’t forget: Please Don’t Die!
The Merc’s Score: 7.5/10
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