Families are an interesting dynamic. If I’m honest, I hate the way that family is portrayed through the media. It never comes across as authentic. The family dynamic continues to evolve, from the wholesome days of Leave It to Beaver and Happy Days to other extremes like Married...With Children or the Simpsons. Our current portrayals, at least speaking of television, show off families that are exploring new avenues like interracial storytellng, LGBT parents, and divorced families. Family can be an exceptional story telling motif if used properly.

Last year’s Ready or Not is a terrific example. Spoiler warning, I’ll probably be referring to that particular film a few times throughout this review. Broil and Ready share common themes and narratives throughout.  Horror has always used family as a mythological avenue for building franchises. Look at Halloween, for example. In 1981’s Halloween II, it was revealed that Laurie Strode was the sister of Michael Myers. That lineage is woven throughout the remainder of the sequels, even going as far as to explore generations in Halloween IV, Halloween V, Halloween H20 and 2018’s Halloween. If you think about it, you can even make the argument that The Texas Chainsaw Massacre has very little to do with Leatherface and much more to do with his family.  Scream 2 got in on the action as well, connecting the killer of the first movie to its sequel.

The Edward Drake directed and co-written horror film, Broil, follows in this legacy tradition. Broil depicts the story of the Sinclair family, who hold a deadly secret, coming together for their mysteriously annual harvest. Broil has a rather unique structure to it. In some ways, it feels anthological. Structurally speaking it’s V/H/S meets Premium Rush. Yes, that weird bicycle thriller with Joseph Gordon-Levitt and Michael Shannon that you probably forgot about. The film is set up in four parts. Throughout the course of these ever-evolving stories, we find the youngest Sinclair, Chance (Avery Konrad), at their center. I adore how this film tells its story. The narrative brings in multiple different points of view of the same situation from different characters, which allows Broil to take on its own unique nature, standing out within the genre.

As much as the story fixates on Konrad, she is far from the star of the film. No, that part, or should I say parts, would go to Timothy V. Murphy, who plays the grandfather, August, and Jonathan Lipnicki who plays Sydney (or “The Chef”). Your eyes do not deceive you, the young kid from Jerry Maguire and Stuart Little is still acting. Let me say, he delivers a heck of a performance. Lipnicki is a calculated genius throughout the entirety of the movie. When you see this movie, you’ll know why I chose to use that exact phrase for his performance, but when he is put up against Murphy it is pure cinematic delight. Murphy, in his own right, walks the line of charismatic and demented with an eerie calmness. Murphy has earned his centralized role within the film, leaving a tattooed impression on your eyes in the process. He is as haunting as they come.

As I stated earlier, Broil finds a great deal of similarities with Ready or Not. Its performances, camera work, and anthological narrative helps establish its individuality. Yet it’s the rather ambiguous nature of the film that makes Broil fall a bit shorter. As I mentioned earlier, the Sinclairs, the family at the center of the movie, have a dark secret. Several times and several different outcomes are romanticized as to what that secret could be. Yet, the viewer is never left with the satisfaction of what the secret actually is. Viewers are left to embrace their inner conspiracy theorist and make up their own mind. While some viewers won't mind this aspect of the film, the combination of several different monster lores which allow for this ambiguity makes the centralized family a little messy.

Overall, Broil is a worthwhile horror film just in time for Halloween. Its anthology-like storytelling and fearless fourth wall-breaking carve out an impassioned voice that will bring viewers back for repeat visits. The performances from Jonathon Lipnicki and Timothy V. Murphy only solidifies Broil as one of 2020’s best horror offerings to date. Broil attempts to establish monsters, yet fails flat upon delivery. It steals pages from a multitude of monster movies that have come before it. Even with its ambiguity, Broil is entertaining, engaging, and full of excitement. 

RORSCHACH RATING:

If you or someone you know is reading this right now and you are struggling with suicide, depression, addiction, or self-harm - please reach out. Comment, message or tweet to us. Go to victimsandvillains.net/hope for more resources. Call the suicide lifeline at 1-800-273-8255. Text "HELP" to 741-741. There is hope & you DO have so much value and worth!

Victims and Villains is written Josh "Captain Nostalgia" Burkey (and produced by), Caless Davis, Dan Rockwood, & Brandon Miller. Music by Mallory Johnson and others. Broil is property of Well GO USA Entertainment. We do not own nor claim any rights. This review was edited by Cam Smith. Broil is available on all digital and physical platforms beginning October 13th, 2020 from Well Go USA!

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