Here Comes Hell

Here Comes Hell is a British horror-comedy film released in 2019, directed by Jack McHenry and starring an ensemble cast that includes Tom Bailey, Maureen Bennett, and Alfred Bradley. This compact yet effective group shrewdly plays with the boundaries of genre and era, mixing 1930s aesthetics with a modern approach to dark comedy and horror.

The film centres around a group of former school friends who, despite belonging to various social strata, share a love for parties and get-togethers. This time, their adventure sees them invited to spend a weekend at an isolated yet glamorous countryside mansion previously owned by a renowned but mysterious explorer. Tom Bailey leads the pack as the flamboyant and charming George, while Maureen Bennett plays Christine, a domestic maid with a flair for the theatrical.

Here Comes Hell is consistently intriguing and clever in its merging of the classic drawing-room mystery with the shock-and-gore doused elements of a modern-day horror. It's interesting to see how this group of actors handles such material, which swings between elegant dialogue and blood-splattered mayhem.

What really sets this film apart is its unwavering commitment to its aesthetic. The film commits solemnly to its black-and-white appearance and the archaic style of shooting, in addition to a seemingly authentic '30s wardrobe and set design. The fastidiousness towards maintaining the authenticity of the 1930s era is an undeniable highlight of the film, which in many ways is a direct nod to classic horror films, harking back to the era of Bela Lugosi and Boris Karloff.

Alfred Bradley steals the show with a stand-out performance, portraying a snappy and cynical clergyman with an undercurrent of moral ambiguity. Along with the rest of the cast, he manages to keep the tone determinedly light amidst an atmosphere growing increasingly grotesque with a series of strange occurrences.

The very charm of Here Comes Hell lies in its assertive blend of old-school monster movie elements with the cheeky undertones of black comedies. The film serves as a love letter to the universal horror of the golden age of cinema, while simultaneously imbibing the zestfulness of modern independent cinema.

Balancing the elegant parlance of old English classics with the impudent rebelliousness of horror-comedy, Here Comes Hell emerges a delectable treat of a film. The script, penned by director Jack McHenry and his co-writer Alice Sidgwick, brims with witty banter and one-liners that bounce effortlessly among the hardened characters. The dialogue sparkles, adding further charm to an already enchantically atmospheric narrative.

A strong and overcoming sense of impending doom is masterfully captured, looming ever-present as the ensemble cast find themselves entangled deeper into the mansion's cryptic mysteries. The unraveling of these enigmas serve as the main thrust of the film, enabling us as viewers to explore the depths of the characters torn between stark fear and their inherent nobility.

Underneath the surface-level aesthetic appeal and broad genre influences, Here Comes Hell truly thrives and excels in moments of unexpected shocks and supernatural events, designed and executed with admirable originality and a dash of twisted humor.

The film's scares are ruthless and frequently shocking, using the veneer of classic horror conventions as a surprising, and often entertaining, juxtaposition to the more contemporary horror elements. There's a certain devilish charm to the way the film delivers its moments of terror.

In the final analysis, Here Comes Hell successfully provides a referential and self-aware reinvention of the haunted house horror incorporating 1930s aesthetics and modern chills. Despite its black-and-white format, the movie sheds a colorful and interesting light on the horror-comedy genre. All this makes Here Comes Hell a must-watch for fans of the classic horror genre with a dash of dark humor.