HELL BABY
US, 2013, 98 minutes, Colour.
Rob Corddry, Leslie Bibb, Keegan- Michael Key, Robert Ben Garant, Thomas Lennon, David Wain, Alex Berg.
Directed by Robert Ben Garrant and Thomas Lennon.
As the title might indicate, this is a film not to be taken too seriously. It is a parody, given the popularity of exorcism and diabolical babies in recent times (not forgetting Rosemary’s Baby in the 1960s and The Exorcist in the 1970s and the film traditions they started).
This film is in the vein of those small-budget, scatty, often crass, send-ups of popular movie genres like the Scary Movie series. This does mean that the audience is a little specialised, most serious moviegoers not even considering seeing these films, but popular enough in the multiplex theatres and on television. Some cinema buffs might like to check out these satires, their relationship to the originals and who decides to appear in them and direct them.
Both Roberts Ben Gary and Thomas Lennon have had their serious moments in many films as well as writing for popular comedies, especially Ben Garrant and the Night in the Museum series.
But, they are associated with the very broad and often crass television series and movies, Reno 911. Hell Baby is obviously in this vein.
Rob Corddry and Leslie Bibb have appeared in many a comedy, and spanned the serious films as well as the satires. Here they are a couple moving into a new house in New Orleans, discovering that its original title was House of Blood. They intend to renovate, make room for their forthcoming twins. One of the amusing aspects of the film is the continuous and unexpected appearance of the neighbour, F’remel (Keegan- Michael Key) who scares not only the couple but himself in his very frequent entries into the house and making himself at home.
Early in the piece, a mysterious and sinister presence turns the babies inside Leslie Bibb into diabolical twins. At times she seems herself, then at other times she becomes a possessed woman, played not for scares but for jokes. There is also a seemingly dead old woman who appears to Rob Corddry in bed, and then is found to be in some kind of coma. Lots of corny jokes in this regard. But it does bring two local policeman to the house, very often stupid, one dumb, the other dumber reducing themselves, laying down the law, becoming the butt of satire, often all too silly.
Though there are doctors and neighbours, the other two main characters are two priests, allegedly from the Vatican. One is Italian and the other is Mexican. How they got to New Orleans is anyone’s guess – although there are some scenes in the Vatican which are intended to give them some authority. And Lennon and Ben Garrant give themselves the opportunity to play priests.
Of course, they send up the priests in exorcism films. However, there is some initial parody where the priests, in their clerical clothes, show themselves to be rather gluttonous, enjoying huge specials at a takeaway café with the policemen, a touch lewd in their attitudes towards eyeing of women. Some of their remarks indicate that their time in the seminary may not have taken! The reason this kind of satire is introduced and the way that it works is that audiences are presupposed to have a good image of priests, their bearing, their language, their behaviour – and these screen priests are definitely the opposite. Hence the possibility for laughs and satire.
Ultimately, there are scenes of the exorcism, relying on audience familiarity with its screen rituals, the effect of the exorcism on the possessed person, memories of gore and bile in The Exorcist, with the spectacle of diabolical babies causing all kind of mayhem, no holds barred. Surprisingly, one of the priests is killed – by a distracted passing motorist!
Actually, it is bit better than many of the Scary Movies and other satires.
