directed by:
Jason D Morris written by: Robert Carrera genre: Horror, Comedy |
From the producers of “The Space Rodent,” you say? I remember that film! Legitimate question up front here, but after reading the synopsis for “The Yellow Balloon” online, my first thought was - isn’t this “The Blob,” but with like, balloons instead of goo? I could be (and usually am) wrong, so stay tuned. The plot sure sounds similar, though. That said, it feels like we’re onto something fun here pretty quickly. From the smart use of dynamic music, to the modern-day approach of having a character vlogging about food to kick things off in a relevant and relatable way that resembles so much of what we see out there online, to the villainous dude in the black top hat roaming the dark alleys & streets with his menacing makeup, cane and yellow balloon, this film bears the hallmarks of classic creepy content that is designed to instantly grab your attention. Now, with that in mind, understand you’re always going to have to suspend a little bit of disbelief (or more) in watching a film like this…that’s just how it goes in this genre. When our first two characters open the door in the middle of the night to a random stranger passing through, who happens to be covered in white face paint, named Ringmaster Vincent Vile, and their first reaction ISN’T slamming the door and locking it behind them…well…As I said, you’ll just have to accept that a few folks would make different choices than you or I might. On the bright side of things, Vile doesn’t seem too interested in mayhem for the moment. He merely drops off two personalized invitations to the girls and leaves the balloon.
Discovering an old VHS tape with Vincent Vile on it from long ago, they push play, and that mayhem you were so desperate to find - reveals itself in the carnage to follow. “The Yellow Balloon” opens the door, lets itself in, and you know, the blood starts flowing. Is that crazy, you ask? Wasn’t the idea of Killer Tomatoes still a more ridiculous concept than a killer yellow balloon? That movie not only got made, it also spawned several sequels…so heck yeah, fill your balloons and let’er rip, I say! From there, we make a readjustment from what was effectively an introduction to the movie’s most malevolent main character, to finding an ensemble of new victims that are gonna head out into the woods where they clearly don’t belong. Off to Autumn Falls, population of 426. Something tells me that we’re not about to see that number rising anytime soon. Introducing themselves to a weird-ass dude wearing a Temu S&M outfit while cleaning the cabin they’re about to stay in…you might notice his wheelbarrow is fully loaded with the skins of a bunch of old yellow balloons. Trouble is brewing in Autumn Falls without a doubt, but to be fair, when a cabin looks this nice, you’d endure a little creepiness to stay there, too. One barrow full of old popped balloons wouldn’t be enough of a red flag for most unsuspecting folks just trying to get their drink on and have a good time…but the endless rows of burial plots where all the popped skins have been put six feet under for safety should be at least of some concern, should it not? Let’s be real here for a moment - this particular yellow balloon is pervy. Constantly sitting outside doors and windows, just floatin’ and watchin’ the people inside all silent & shit…you get the sense that this balloon would be rubbing one out if it could be, and you’d be calling the cops shortly after it had finished like any responsible adult would do after the show was over. Faced with the choice between Elisha Cuthbert’s “The Girl Next Door” or a random VHS called “The Yellow Balloon” for their entertainment, obviously, they select the classic vintage technology. If they only knew the horrible mistake they made! This particular VHS tape seems to be the exact thing that keeps these balloons from potentially becoming some clown’s poodle one day, and turns them into the vicious, murderous balloons your parents have always warned you about. If you’re not scared by now…you…uhh…maybe might be later? As you might suspect, “The Yellow Balloon” has its eye on the comedic side of its story a little more than worrying about how much it’ll scare you. If you’re not convinced about that yet, don’t worry - when you meet “third leg,” and he tries to start murdering our main four characters with his dick out the entire time, I’m pretty sure you’ll get it from there. Much like you’d remember from “The Space Rodent,” if you’ve seen it, there is an extraordinary jizzum-based scene that you will probably never forget in this new film here. Consider yourselves warned, and be careful not to find yourself sitting in the splash zone.
If ever there was a case to not be huffing helium, I reckon that “The Yellow Balloon” makes it. Clearly, Writer Robert Carrera lost his mind years ago, and Director Jason D. Morris is all too happy to enable his strange ideas by bringing these wacky concepts to life through the lens. Our planet is better off for it, I promise you. Life would be way too damn ordinary without these cornball crusaders doing what they do. Robert continues to be a giant asset to these movies as their main star as well, and given the fact that he writes them, he always knows the material inside and out, which greatly contributes to the fun these films generate. If you’re a fan of Horror flicks, you know full well when you’re supposed to take things extremely seriously, and when you’re supposed to lighten up and just go with it. Carrera and Morris are obviously making the latter, so go into watching “The Yellow Balloon” ready for some wildly unexpected shit to happen. Like helping one of your friends give birth to a killer balloon, for example, while a beheaded deer talks shit to you from its space on the wall. Ain’t nothing normal in this movie. On a highly related note, if you’ve ever wondered what the inside of a Fleshlight looks like, ask Travis, who spends more time being fully soaked in “The Yellow Balloon” than the whale did in “Free Willy.” I dunno guys…there’s something that really does work about these ridiculously over the top concepts that Carrera and Morris choose to take on. I’m not necessarily saying you’re going to laugh out loud, but you might at points. I’m not necessarily saying you’ll be scared outta your minds either, but you might find yourself creeped out by some of this, sure. As I’ve long maintained, the Horror/Comedy balance is one of the hardest things to pull off successfully to completion, and you’ll usually find yourself being edged by the potential for both sides of its split personality combination. That remains to be the case here for the most part, I’d say, but there are significant highlights along the way that made this truly fun to watch. They know & appreciate the value of a great jizzum joke, that I can assure you of, yes indeed. I’m cool with what these guys do, and much like “The Space Rodent,” I found myself surprised by how much I actually enjoyed “The Yellow Balloon” too. Carrera and Morris clearly have a rhythm and flow that works for them, and they’re continually joined by a cast that is completely ready to play along with these zany ideas. I’m sure it’s fair to say that we’re not talkin’ Shakespeare here…these aren’t movies that you’re going to find Sir Ben Kingsley in anytime soon…But I guarantee they’re more of a good time than you’d probably think they would be. I’m going with another strong three stars for the fun they’ve created with “The Yellow Balloon” - the work of this crew is undeniably consistent, and equally bizarre. |
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