There has never been a movie that has felt more inclined to star and focus on Bruce Campbell that didn’t star Bruce Campbell but creates the essence and soul of an Evil Dead esque movie or anything that really stars Campbell. However, William Bagley directed and co-wrote this 74 minute movie with Scott Hawkins that simultaneously becomes a cautionary tale of joining HOA’s while also being an insanely fun and hilarious Halloween comedy horror that is in the same vein as Monster Squad, but with far less story and development – not a detriment, actually works to the benefit in this scenario.
The movie focuses on new to the neighbourhood Lucas (Chris Mayers) and Jenny (Haley Leary) who are finally homeowners. Lucas is a much more nerdy, wants to fit in, quiet person, while Jenny wants to express herself and not be subjected to HOA nonsense. It is something he didn’t disclose when he bought the house, but to own a house in general, he thought it was still a victory. When they meet Jerry (Julian Smith) the HOA head, he invites them to the Equinox party which has a slogan of “welcome to the Equinox, try not to die”. Slowly, Lucas and Jenny realize that the slogan is real, and on this fateful night, the neighbourhood is getting together to ensure the portal from hell(?) and releases all kinds of Halloween monsters, witches, ghosts, wolfman, and the worst of them all the STICKMAN they have to hold the fort or they will all lose their homes and perish. The concept is truly ridiculous, and over the top, and it works because it’s ridiculous and over the top – just protecting your home, from Halloween creatures, because you’ve signed up for/got coaxed into the HOA – they’re not evil they just fight evil.
Hold the Fort works mainly because of how great this ensemble is at creating absolute chaos, pageantry, and madness from Bagley and Hawkins script. Mayers as Lucas is so worried about protecting himself, and solely himself, that his character is just ineptly perfect – but it is Julain Smith that excels and shines as the overzealous HOA president who wants to ensure everyone’s safety. Haley Leary’s Jenny slowly warms up to everything and tries to convince Lucas to become more neighborly, and it falls a little flat. Moreover though, the remainder of the cast with Levi Burdick as Ted, Mark Ashworth as Herbert, Amy Bull as Amy, Tordy Clark as Leslie, Michelle Lamb as Annette, and Hamid-Reza Benjamin Thompson as McScruffy whose their sole fighter and only reason why they’ve survived thus far is a pitch perfect cast of people doing their all and hamming it up to create something so over the top insane and pitch perfect madness that creates an ever-loving hilarious Halloween romp.
Hold the Fort, from a critical standpoint isn’t a strong movie by any means. It lacks depth in both character development and story development, it is told to us within the first 10 minutes or so of the movie and never further elaborates. We don’t know why the hole is there, how it got there, or anything, but genuinely no one cares? It is 74 minutes of pure adrenaline and fun – it doesn’t need to be more or have more to say. If you want something you don’t have to think about while watching Halloween movies, or 31 in 31, or just want a fun monster movie, Hold the Fort hits the nail on the proverbial head.
