[Film Review] Psycho Goreman (2020)

Psycho Goreman (2020) is a monster horror/family drama movie that hit the scene just last year, and yet, it feels like the sort of thing I would have sneakily tried to watch on television as a kid in the early ‘90s.

Dripping with nostalgia and packed with ‘80s and ‘90s references, this is a film that a modern audience will enjoy, but classic-loving horror fans such as myself will feel snug and warm in the familiar world of Psycho Goreman. 

The film starts with brother and sister duo Luke (Owen Myre) and Mimi (Nita-Josee Hanna) playing a game of ‘Crazy Ball’ (an overly violent and complicated game the pair have devised themselves) in their garden. Luke’s punishment for losing to his little sister is to dig his own grave, and while digging the pair come across a magical amulet. After unlocking it from its surroundings, the pair cover the still-glowing ground up, and head to bed. 

Unbeknown to them, lurking in the hole is an alien creature with a taste for blood and a flair for a dramatic death or two. Luke and Mimi track him down and soon discover that the amulet Mimi holds allows her to control the creature and prevent him from destroying the entire planet. The siblings name the creature Psycho Goreman, or PG for short (played by Matthew Niaber and voiced by Steven Vlahos), and Mimi starts to revel in her ability to have a monster to boss around as well as her older brother. 

Psycho Goreman starts like some warped version of Harry and the Hendersons (1987), where the family basically ends up welcoming this strange creature into their home. There’s a wacky montage of all the shenanigans that Mimi gets up to while in control of PG, but we’re always reminded of the fact PG is a killing machine who likes to do things such as melting cops’ faces and making criminals suffer a death that lasts an eternity. 

We soon find out a little more about PG’s background, and how he is being hunted by the Gigax Council and the warrior Pandora (played by Kirsten MacCulloch and voiced by Anna Tierney) after they learn that he has escaped his prison on Earth. So while Mimi has no plans to give up her monster pal anytime soon, it turns out it may be out of her control. 

Psycho Goreman may play like a zany family comedy, but it never forgets that it is deeply rooted in the horror genre. The kills are brutal, and the effects are outstanding, with a huge range of practical effects to ensure even the goriest, gloopiest body horror fan is satisfied. There’s also a ridiculously impressive amount of talent involved when it comes to the creature design. PG himself looks like a souped-up version of a Buffy the Vampire Slayer (1997) villain mixed with the Creature of the Black Lagoon. There’s also a range of other alien creatures, each of which features distinctive designs, and they’re all bloody amazing. Tube-Man and H.I.S.S. were personal favourites, and the many alien gangs give off a heavy Doctor Who (2005) vibe. 

It’s also worth noting that Nita-Josee Hanna is the complete star of the piece as the bratty younger sister Mimi. Mimi isn’t always likeable, but she’s loyal to her family, knows how to stand up for herself, and isn’t about to be bossed about by anyone, even PG. Nita-Josee Hanna is hilarious, and knows how to play the character as completely over the top and yet never annoying. 

The entire movie is packed with laughs alongside the gore and knows exactly when to lean into the ridiculousness of the situation rather than trying to make it scary. Between the splatter gore effects and perfect amount of funny moments, Psycho Goreman is a movie that has rewatchability written all over it. 

Overall, Psycho Goreman is everything I would have wanted in a horror movie as a kid. The whole thing feels like someone took an episode of Goosebumps (1995), added the rocking guitar riffs from the Mighty Morphin Power Rangers (1993), and then threw a bucket of blood and guts over the top of it. It can be hard to pay homage to the wonderful range of b-movies out there and still create a wonderful piece of cinema that doesn’t come off as cheesy, but Psycho Goreman manages it effortlessly.

Psycho Goreman is the perfect combo of fun, jokes, gore, excellent death scenes, family dramas, and more unique monster designs than any horror fan could ask for. It manages to create something completely unique in the horror genre that I knew I was going to enjoy, but I ended up completely adoring it. Now, who’s for a game of Crazy Ball?

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