MovieChat Forums > Deadly Friend (1986) Discussion > Why do people think this movie was a jok...

Why do people think this movie was a joke?

posted 18 years ago by dynastyu
19 replies | jump to latest

After reading some critiques on this movie, I was expecting this movie to be what all the critics labeled this movie, a joke. I watched this after 12 years (I was very young to make an accurate judgment of this film). So I watched this film this morning with my two friends and brother. We actually enjoyed this movie due to the unique killing sequences, interesting plot, and you can't help but to feel emotional after Paul tried everything to bring his love back to life, only to watch her die. So to be quite honest with you, it was one of my personal favorite horror films. I fail to see why this movie is bad to many critics. Many reviews I've read don't understand the ending. Well, the ending can be interpreted in different way. My friend was saying that the ending was suppose to give the impression that god doesn't want us playing god. I went towards the more simple approach, and based on previous dream sequences in the movie, I felt the ending was simply a dream (that can very well tie in my friend's idea regarding the ending). Overall, I think it was a film worth watching.

[–] RobsBottin 17 years ago

I agree with you, Deadly Friend made its impact on me as a 14yr old. I've criticised certain elements of the film, but it's not half as bad the critics say it is.

Deadly Friend is certainly a lot better than half of the *beep* Hollywood vomits on to the big screen.

[–] 17 years ago

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[–] Sburt4-1 17 years ago

I believe I was ten when I saw it in the theaters. sure it has flaws but I saw it again lately and I still enjoy it. I don't know why the critcis were harsh. I have seen a lot of horror films where the characters were terrible and the storyline was dull. not the case with Deadly Friend. sure it's not a msaterpiece but not the worst film.

[–] Jordan-15 15 years ago

I don't know about the rest of the world, but I liked the movie. the only part I didn't particularly care for was when Anne Ramsey's character was murdered. A basketball to the face is so unbelievable that I was insulted just watching it. Getting your throat crushed and tossed head first into a furnace, hurled onto the wind shield of a car, getting shot, slamming someone's head into the ground, I can believe that. that sort of thing could happen; but a basketball to the face? come on now. the most that would happen is that you'd get a bruised or broken nose. anyone remember that episode of the brady bunch? marsha didn't lose her head. so why did the writers see fit to make this woman have such an idiotic death? this is a horror movie, terrify me, dammit!

HiFis around me, HiTech just turns me on
From my Video to my Radio

[–] 15 years ago

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[–] omegaman7769-1 15 years ago

While I agree with the Basketball to the face murder scene was a joke, the movie itself was good for its day. I'll admit, I was skeptical about the movie. But I was not disappointed. It was worth watching AT LEAST once. No doubt I will watch it again one day. :D

[–] 15 years ago

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[–] abajasds 13 years ago

I was dying laughing at that part of the movie with the basketball. I ran it in slow motion on my DVD player, and it looked so fake and laughable. What really made it funny was how the headless body bounced off the door before falling on the floor.

The father as a drunk was kind of funny, because the actor played it well. Other than that, I didn't find too much funny with this movie, but it was a decent horror flick, I think the tagline and DVD cover is more scary than the actual movie though.

I find it a little strange that the protagonist could see that it was something wrong with BB, and way put his brain in her, and the ending wasn't that great, should just ended with the girl dying in his arms after the police shot her.

My job is to inform, not persuade- Dan Rather

[–] 13 years ago

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[–] asgard-5 12 years ago

It's definitely worth watching. But it plays out like it was dumbed down on purpose. The first 20 minutes are cheesy as hell. Maybe had it been more serious it'd be hard to sell or something. But the parts that work make this movie one of Craven's best. And I didn't realise it was his, I just checked this out for young Kristy Swanson.

[–] Doc110894 12 years ago

I don't think it's awful, but some of the reviews are hilarious. A reviewer on the junk food dinner podcast said this feels like one of those fake movies that characters watch/talk about in tv shows/films.

[–] ElectricWarlock 11 years ago

I don't think this movie was a joke at all. The only part I really didn't like was the ending. It was different than a lot of other horror films I've seen. While many scenes were dark, it still had a light, cheerful atmosphere about it that it never got too depressing. It also had interesting, likable characters, a good story, and good acting. I thought this was a movie that mixed horror, science fiction, comedy, and romance together. Those genres aren't mixed together very often so I think it catches people off guard and makes this movie difficult for them to process. This is one of my favorite Wes Craven films and I don't think anyone should dislike it.

I've been waiting for you, Ben.

[–] shred-com 11 years ago

The film falls apart towards the end, but I like it.

[–] scorpion-52 11 years ago

Yeah the last 10 minutes were really bad, good film otherwise though.

[–] Nick7080 11 years ago

Like everyone else said, good film with bad ending. But i never really cared about the ending since i know that it was last minute idea that studio boss Mark Tappin decided to put in movie as their take on (i guess) shock endings of Carrie and Craven's previous horror hit A Nightmare On Elm Street. In my opinion, that was really bad idea, it should have ended with Paul holding Sam's dead body, that would be far more effective.

Still a good and underrated movie and one of my favorites.

[–] 11 years ago

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[–] 11 years ago

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[–] RobsBottin 11 years ago

It isn't awful but it isn't great either, however it's good enough considering the ridiculous interference from Mark Tappin from Warner Brothers. There are elements of a heart felt love story, you can tell it was mired by those who thought they knew best. The gore sequences are spectacularly stupid. The first act plays out like a regular teen movie, but as soon as Samantha is resurrected the narrative is completely lost, it turns in to a gore fest when the central theme of the story is about the evil that men do, and the unpredictability of those around the abused Samantha.

[–] 11 years ago

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