The Reel Review
This satire of the schlocky, gory Troma comedy/horror movies of the 1980s is about preteen siblings who accidentally summon an evil, omnipotent creature hellbent on destroying Earth – only there is a catch. They also possess the glowing amulet that controls him, making him their personal servant.
With its cute, campy premise, a fun, kitschy 80s vibe and enough clever chuckles to make it mildly entertaining, you would think PG: Psycho Goreman would have all the hallmarks for comic gold. But for all the detailed effort that writer/director Steven Kostanski (Leprechaun, The Void) puts into his over the top gore-filled gags and rubber suited monsters, it is a shame his story itself just isn’t more clever or engaging. The one note humor gets old real fast and the mid-movie montage is particularly groan worthy.
Nita-Josee Hanna, as the quirky, nerdy Mimi, at least makes the kooky premise work, nicknaming Psycho Goreman “PG” and turning him into her personal playmate, while indifferently ignoring his never-ending speeches about how he’s going to destroy everyone. Troma movie fans will revel in seeing this ode to the film sub-genre, but the story devolves into tedium by its feeble and pointless third act.
REEL FACTS
• In the film, Psycho Goreman is from the planet Gygax, a nod to Dungeons & Dragons co-creator Gary Gygax.
• Troma Entertainment created dozens of campy cult classic horror comedies in the 1980s, the most famous being 1984’s The Toxic Avenger.
• Nita-Josee Hanna also appeared in the 2020 Hulu horror film anthology Books of Blood.
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