HOLD THE FORT
Filmmaker William Bagley brings his horror comedy HOLD THE FORT to Fantasia 2025. The film follows a young couple’s move into the neighborhood, who are acutely unaware of the expectations of their HOA. Upon their invitation to an annual get-together, they learn the fine print involves a particular species of grass and fighting monsters from a hell portal.
HOLD THE FORT is Evil Dead meets Cabin in the Woods, but in the suburbs. Our newbies, Jenny and Lucas, must face their fears and learn to love their HOA as a portal to hell spews out various evil creatures in a few blood-spattered hours. Of course, Bagley gives us a badass militant hero character named McScruffy, who repeatedly gets shot by accident. Cocaine, moonshine, muscle relaxer-laced cheesesticks, a raffled-off shotgun, and an enchanted sword are all vital players in the magnificent chaos.
The complete nonchalance of the residents sets the tone for HOLD THE FORT. Nagley delivers over-the-top characters and laugh-out-loud one-liners from beginning to end. Creature builds are super fun, practical FX are decent, mostly throwing buckets of blood on Lucas, and one gnarly gunshot wound. Colored lights delineate each monster in a fashion similar to the 2000s Syfy network, and it is a perfect match for the film’s subgenre. The score reminds me of Ren and Stimpy, and that’s the best way to describe it.
Performances across the board are fantastic. The script leans on Lucas’ arc from wimp to hero, but it is the deadly serious commitment from the rest of the ensemble that takes the cake. Julian Smith as HOA president, Jerry, is a knockout. Hamid-Reza Benjamin Thompson is outstanding as McScruffy. Tordy Clark as neighborhood druggy, Leslie, nails it. Chris Mayers gives Lucas his best EVIL DEAD Ash impression.
Fantasia 2025 audiences are in for a goofy, gory goodness. It’s a done deal. PS- Stay for the credits for a bit of extra fun.
Screenings at Fantasia International Film Festival
HOLD THE FORT / World Premiere at Fantasia
Date: Wednesday, July 16th
Time: 9:30 PM
Location: Salle J.A. De Sève
1400 de, Maisonneuve Blvd W. Montreal, Quebec H3G 1M8, Canada
HOLD THE FORT / 2nd Screening at Fantasia
Date: Saturday, July 26th
Time: 12:00 PM
Location: Salle J.A. De Sève
1400 de, Maisonneuve Blvd W. Montreal, Quebec H3G 1M8, Canada
HOLD THE FORT
World Premiering at Fantasia International Film Festival on July 16
Synopsis: HOLD THE FORT follows Lucas and Jenny who think their life is finally coming together when the couple become homeowners. Little do they know that their new house comes with a big catch. Lucas and Jenny soon find themselves in a fight for their lives when they become trapped in a battle between their Homeowners Association and an onslaught of monsters from hell. The horror-comedy takes the timely concern of home-ownership and wraps this up in an entertaining action-packed thrill ride.
Studio: Blue Finch Films
Director/Writer: William Bagley
Story by: Scott Hawkins
Producers: Matt Dodd, Luke Williams, Tim Reis, Julian Smith
Cast: Chris Mayers, Haley Leary, Julian Smith
Genre: Horror-Comedy
Run Time: 74 Minutes
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