PG: Psycho Goreman

PG: Psycho Goreman, or simply Psycho Goreman, is a 2020 Canadian science fantasy horror-comedy film written and directed by Steven Kostanski. It stars Nita-Josee Hanna and Owen Myre as a young sister and brother who unwittingly resurrect an ancient extraterrestrial overlord (voiced by Steven Vlahos and played by Matt Ninaber).

PG: Psycho Goreman
Promotional release poster
Directed bySteven Kostanski
Written bySteven Kostanski
Starring
  • Nita-Josee Hanna
  • Owen Myre
  • Steven Vlahos
  • Adam Brooks
  • Alexis Hancey
  • Matthew Ninaber
  • Reece Presley
Music byBlitz//Berlin
CinematographyAndrew Appelle
Edited byAndrew Appelle
Steven Kostanski
Production
company
Raven Banner Entertainment
Distributed byRLJE Films
Release date
  • October 7, 2020 (2020-10-07) (Beyond Fest)
Running time
99 minutes
CountryCanada
LanguageEnglish
Box office$66,669[1][2]

Psycho Goreman was originally scheduled to premiere at the South by Southwest film festival in March 2020, but the festival was cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic. It screened later that year as part of Beyond Fest, the Sitges Film Festival and Monster Fest.[3] Having been acquired by RLJE Films and Shudder, Psycho Goreman was released in theaters and on video on demand on January 22, 2021.[4][5]

Plot

After an intense match of their homemade game "Crazy Ball", siblings Mimi and Luke discover a strange, glowing gem in a hole that Luke has been forced to dig by the domineering Mimi for losing. That night, an alien monster emerges from the hole. The monster enters an old shoe factory and brutally kills a group of thieves hiding out there. The next day, Mimi and Luke follow a trail to the shoe factory discovering the monster. The monster identifies himself as "Arch-Duke of Nightmares", a deadly alien warrior imprisoned on earth after attempting to destroy the galaxy in a rampage. He prepares to kill the children only to discover Mimi is in possession of the gem which allows whoever wielding it to command him. Excited at this opportunity, Mimi dubs the alien "Psycho Goreman" (or "PG" for short) and quickly gets to work commanding PG around despite Luke's concerns. Meanwhile, a group of aliens called the "Planetary Alliance" discover PG has escaped the imprisonment they cast him in. They send Pandora, a noble warrior and member of PG's mortal enemies "The Templars" to stop PG. Pandora assumes the appearance of a human woman and travels to Earth.

Mimi and Luke introduce their friend Alastair to PG. PG tells the children how he was a slave to the Templars on his home planet Gigax until he discovered the gem which bonded with him, giving him endless strength and power. He assembled an army called "The Paladins of Obsidian" and overthrew the Templars. Filled with bloodlust, PG vowed to destroy the galaxy until the Templars and Planetary Alliance worked together to steal the gem and banish PG. When the children leave, PG uses a TV to broadcast a call for help to the Paladins of Obsidian. Alastair comes to Mimi and Luke's house for dinner. Mimi, who has a crush on Alastair, is annoyed when she is abandoned by the boys so they can play video games. Mimi summons PG to the house and asks him to make Alastair an affectionate playmate. PG proceeds to mutate Alastair into a giant brain creature. Mimi and Luke's parents Susan and Greg see PG and Mimi introduces him to them, showing how she can control him. Mimi forces PG to accompany the family on activities and become a reluctant friend to the family.

PG communicates to Luke privately through a nightmare demanding that he steal the gem off Mimi and returns it to him, promising to spare Luke in his rampage if he does so. Luke refuses, clearly scared of Mimi. One day while out with PG and the mutated Alastair playing Crazy Ball, the kids are approached by two officers who attack PG. PG mutates one of the officers into a deformed "Bio-cop" while the other officer escapes. While walking in the woods, Mimi jokingly commands PG to kill Luke, upsetting him. Pandora arrives at the police station and interrogates the officer that escaped PG for information. In the woods, the Paladins of Obsidian arrive in front of the group. Believing he will be rescued, PG orders them to kill Mimi and Luke only for the Paladins to reveal they like life without PG and worked with the Templars to overthrow PG. PG tries to attack them but Mimi stops him as punishment for commanding the Paladins to kill them. Mimi forces PG to apologize and when he does, allows him to fight back. PG kills the Paladins but is injured in the attack.

Susan and Greg have another argument over Greg's laziness. PG comes to Greg in a vision demanding he collects him and the children from the woods. Greg does so and they drive back to the house where Pandora is waiting with Susan. Susan suggests they hand over PG to Pandora with Luke rebelling against Mimi and siding with Susan and Pandora. Greg sides with Mimi and drives away with PG, hiding in the shoe factory. Pandora reveals her true form before transforming Susan into an armored warrior to help take down PG. At the shoe factory, PG states the gem is the only way to heal him which Mimi agrees to give to him if he spares her and her family but Mimi discovers she has lost it. Pandora, Susan, and Luke arrive at the shoe factory with Luke being revealed to have stolen the gem. Mimi and Luke fight over the gem while Susan and Greg battle over their marriage. Luke convinces Mimi that the power of the gem and PG have corrupted her.

PG challenges Pandora to a fight according to Templar's code, meaning that Mimi is allowed to select the battle. She chooses Crazy Ball. Mimi's team wins but Pandora moves in to attack Mimi and PG. Susan uses her powers to save Mimi but is quickly reverted back to human form by an enraged Pandora. Luke and Mimi reconcile, singing a song with Greg and handing the gem to PG. PG retrieves his power and devours Pandora. PG returns the gem to Mimi, stating that after witnessing the family's affection for each other, he is now powered by love and he will use that love to destroy the galaxy but promises to spare the family. The family bids farewell to PG and watches as he begins to destroy their town. Meanwhile, Alastair continues to live as a giant brain mutant while the Planetary Alliance debates killing themselves before PG can reach them.

Cast
  • Nita-Josee Hanna as Mimi[6]
  • Owen Myre as Luke[6]
  • Matthew Ninaber as Psycho Goreman (or "PG")[6][7]
    • Steven Vlahos as the voice of Psycho Goreman[7]
  • Adam Brooks as Greg[6]
  • Alexis Hancey as Susan[8]
  • Kristen MacCulloch as Pandora[8]
  • Reece Presley as Chad (Thug 1)[9]
  • Rich Evans as Death Trapper

Release

Psycho Goreman was initially scheduled to premiere at the South by Southwest film festival in March 2020, prior to the festival's cancellation due to the COVID-19 pandemic.[3] It screened later that year as part of Beyond Fest on October 7, 2020,[10] and also screened as part of the Sitges Film Festival and Australia's Monster Fest.[3] The film's distribution rights were acquired by RLJE Films and Shudder, and it was simultaneously released in theaters and on video on demand on January 22, 2021.[4][5][11] A limited edition DVD/Blu-ray release is set for March 16, 2021.[12]

Critical response

The film holds a "Certified Fresh" rating of 88% on the review aggregator Rotten Tomatoes, based on 51 reviews. The site's consensus reads, "Over the top and enthusiastically strange, PG: Psycho Goreman delivers all the cheesy midnight-movie goodness promised by its title."[13]

Barry Hertz of The Globe and Mail praised the film, writing that "if you happen to be operating on Kostanski’s very particular and peculiar wavelength, the movie is an absolute riot. Working with little resources, the director creates a wildly colourful, surprisingly epic universe full of alien landscapes, energetic set-pieces and a fantastical creature design that strikes just the right balance between inventive and derivative."[14]

References
  1. "Psycho Goreman (2020)". Box Office Mojo. Retrieved February 6, 2021.
  2. "Psycho Goreman (2020)". The Numbers. Retrieved February 6, 2021.
  3. Billington, Alex (December 11, 2020). "New Trailer for Wacky 'PG: Psycho Goreman' Alien Overlord Comedy". FirstShowing.net. Retrieved December 26, 2020.
  4. Squires, John (December 11, 2020). "'Psycho Goreman' Turns My Pet Monster into a Bloody Horror-Comedy Next Month; Watch the Final Trailer!". Bloody Disgusting. Retrieved December 26, 2020.
  5. Thiessen, Brock (December 11, 2020). "'Psycho Goreman' — the Horror Comedy by Astron-6's Steven Kostanski — Gets a New Trailer". Exclaim!. Retrieved December 26, 2020.
  6. Hipes, Patrick (May 19, 2020). "Horror Comedy 'PG: Psycho Goreman' Lands At RLJE Films & Shudder". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved December 26, 2020.
  7. Lussier, Germain (December 10, 2020). "A Young Girl Has Her Own Killer Alien in the Trailer for PG: Psycho Goreman". Gizmodo. Retrieved December 26, 2020.
  8. Mack, Andrew (March 3, 2020). "SXSW 2020: This Psycho Goreman Teaser is Peak Steven Kostanski". Screen Anarchy. Retrieved December 26, 2020.
  9. "Movie Review - PG: Psycho Goreman (2021)". Flickering Myth. 2021-01-21. Retrieved 2021-01-25.
  10. Miska, Brad (October 7, 2020). "'PG: Psycho Goreman' Poster Is All Brains; Splattering Audiences This January [Exclusive]". Bloody Disgusting. Retrieved December 26, 2020.
  11. Vorel, Jim (December 14, 2020). "Power Rangers Meets Ultraviolence in Crazy Trailer for Horror Comedy Psycho Goreman". Paste. Retrieved December 26, 2020.
  12. Mack, Andrew (December 21, 2020). "Psycho Goreman: Canadian Theatrical And VOD Locations And Dates Announced". Screen Anarchy. Retrieved December 26, 2020.
  13. PG: Psycho Goreman at Rotten Tomatoes
  14. Barry Hertz, "Psycho Goreman is the Canadian splatter comedy of your dreams, or maybe nightmares". The Globe and Mail, January 18, 2021.
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