One of the guys who brought us SAW also made one of the best horror/comedies in recent years
The franchise that flat out refuses to die is back with the release of Jigsaw, the first sequel in the Saw horror series since 2010s Saw 3D: The Final Chapter. This time around, the directing reigns have been handed over to the filmmaking duo of Michael and Peter Spierig, who have taken the series in a fresh direction. At the same time, Jigsaw seems to be staying true to the spirit of the original, much to the delight of fans who have made the film #1 at the box office.
It’s a long road traveled since the original Saw debuted at 2004’s Sundance, introducing the world to a new brand of horror as well as the masterminds behind it, James Wan and Lee Whannel. Through their writing/producing and directing efforts, the pair have combined their talents to create a unique, dark flavor of fear that has struck an undeniable chord, giving birth to not one, but two beloved horror franchises with the debut of 2010’s Insidious.
Even when the two experience a rare flop (Dead Silence) the result is still an instant cult classic with many followers championing it, as was the case with 2015s horror/comedy Cooties.
Co-written and executive produced by Whannell (who also appears here in a supporting role), Cooties opens on 30-year-old Clint (Elijah Wood), a failed writer coming back to his hometown after failing to make it as a writer in New York. Feeling wounded, Clint decides to take a job as a substitute English teacher as his old elementary school for the summer where he soon encounters the unorthodox faculty. There’s high-strung Rebecca (Nasim Pedrad), tough-guy Wade (Rainn Wilson), socially awkward Doug (Whannell), slightly timid, Tracy (Jack McBrayer) and the lovely Lucy (Alison Pill). Soon, a virus begins to take over the school’s children as a result of a rancid chicken nugget, turning them into demented, flesh-eating monsters and forcing the dysfunctional staff to band together if they are to stay alive.
Though made by one of the minds responsible for the classic Saw, Cooties is one of the funniest horror/comedies ever made. There isn’t a scene within it which doesn’t prompt some form of laughter, whether through its dialogue or setup. One running joke is the novel Clint failed to publish in New York which is revealed to be a third-rate version of Stephen King’s “Christine,” but with a boat. The gag is revisited when the failed author proceeds to have a student read the manuscript aloud as Clint sits by with his eyes closed, basking in the glow of his words. Meanwhile, the script for Cooties is packed with hilarious lines which leads to moments full of pure comedy gold, including Wade’s greeting to Clint: “Pleased to meet you with meat to please you” as well as the moment when the serene Lucy finally snap and yells at her fellow teachers: “You know what else? Since you’re all going to be dead soon anyway, I should tell you. I hate every single one of you.” Yet the film’s best line and greatest example of the specific of humor it’s going for remains the moment when Doug notices a gang of kids tearing apart the school security guard by pointing at nonchalantly saying: “Oh look. Carnage.” It’s dark comedy and its best and it never lets up.
In spite of the laughs, there are a couple of moments which do make fans jump, if only slightly. The scene with Clint and Lucy hiding from a flesh-hungry student who stalks them like a raptor in a darkened classroom is certainly tense. Yet it’s the movie’s ideology which elevates it from being a one-sided affair. Cooties starts out as a movie about having to face the past and coming back to it feeling like a failure. This is certainly true in Clint’s case as he wonders who he is now while also feeling that the world is coming to an end; a notion that soon comes to life. Beyond this, Cooties is ostensibly about the very real fear and unease some people have towards children. When Clint first arrives at the school, kids on the playground are seen popping medication, applying makeup, swearing, fighting and being natural 21st century terrors. The look in Clint’s eyes show as he walks past them is a realized fear that kids are taking over the world and that everyone is powerless to stop them.
Cooties makes comedy pros out of everybody. While established TV comedy talents like McBrayer and Wilson knock it out of the park, with the former stealing the show and proving the film’s greatest asset, everyone here is right on the money in terms of timing and delivery. The key to making it all work is the fact that everyone seems to be having so much fun with the material, they in-turn, feed off of each other’s energy and hilarity. Wood especially gets to have extra fun as the film’s unlikely hero, fiercely clinging to some form of sanity.
Although it had some good word of mouth upon its Sundance premiere, Cooties was delayed and its ending was reshot, much to the satisfaction of the producers who all felt the film played better as a result. Yet Cooties was mired by a paltry theatrical release with many of film’s potential fans not even able to discover the film until well past its VOD premiere.
Cooties may not have much of a legacy within the horror empire Whannell and his partner in crime have spent years building, especially considering what an oddity it is. After all, the film contains one of the darkest openings of a film of its genre by showing how chicken nuggets are created, beginning with the literal killing of a chicken. Still, there’s plenty of carnage to satisfy longtime fans, particularly those of horror/comedies. At the same time, the actual suspense generated between laughs comes at the most surprising moments, leading to a couple of legit jump scares and the sequence showing the group fighting off the maniacal students has a definite cathartic element to it. It’s perhaps here where Cooties legacy is established; as a quirky, yet loving tongue-in-cheek ode to teachers everywhere and all the never ending crap they have to put up with.
