Horror/Comedy is a genre that’s very difficult to get right. If you go too far one way, you’re liable to bury the other genre under the weight of the first one, leaving a muddled, confusing mess. If you can find the right formula, though, you can really take your audience on one hell of a ride. Amazon’s I Had a Bloody Good Time At House Harker manages to nail both scares and laughs by blending comedic timing, smart acting, and outlandish gory fun into a big ol’ pot of campiness.

Directed by Clayton Cogswell, it stars Noel Carroll and Jacob Givens as dopey brothers Charlie and Gerry Harker, who along with their goofball friend Ned (Derek Haugen) have found themselves in quite the dilemma. The Harker brothers, along with their sister, Paige (Whitney Moore), are desperately trying to save their family home from being seized by the County Historical Society. They’re accused of misappropriation of the $50,000 they’ve been given to renovate it and turn it into a Historical Site, and if they don’t make the improvements fast, they’ll be out on the streets. They’re widely seen as the town jokes not only because of this, but also due to their family history; their Great-Great Grandfather was a vampire hunter who actually killed Dracula (this is important to the overall story).

To add to their plate, they find themselves responsible for disposing of the body of a crazed killer who dies on their property, and in the process leads the town to believe he was killed by a vampire. But that’s not all; another person dies on their property not long after, this time their eccentric, elderly neighbor. For most people, all of this would be enough to send them in a downward spiral, but the Harkers are resourceful, and more than a little insane, so they come up with a harebrained plan. If they can make the death of their neighbor also look like it was at the hands…or rather, teeth, of a vampire, they might just be able to capitalize on this situation.

Exactly how they intend on doing this is as ridiculous of a concept as can be, but somehow makes complete sense in this world. Thanks to these recent deaths, there’s a sudden obsession with vampires amongst the townspeople, so the Harkers decide to stage a battle with a “vampire” (really just a hired actor)  in front of a paying audience. If they can convince enough people to show up, they just might be able to fix their financial conundrum while also successfully covering up those unfortunate deaths.

As if that wasn’t enough, there’s also the pesky little situation of an actual, real vampire who gets awakened to come after them, thanks mostly to their family history. Now the Harkers must balance fiction with reality as they blunder their way through messy situation after messy situation. 

If this was a movie that took itself more seriously, this kind of storyline would be too preposterous to follow, let alone enjoy. Thankfully, the tone is set right from the start; much like the title suggests, this is set up to be a wild, disheveled romp of satire, thrills, and gore. This is, as would be expected, a very bloody movie. If that sort of thing makes you squeamish, there may be some scenes that might make you uncomfortable, but it’s done in such a hilarious way that it’s difficult to see it as something severe.

The comedic timing of I Had a Bloody Good Time At House Harker is really the key to the film’s successful formula. Carroll, Givens, and Haugen all play off of each other with expert merriment and ease; watching them, you really feel like these guys are the nutty, dysfunctional family their roles portray. There are genuine, laugh-out-loud moments that are so outrageous you can’t help but get caught up in their whirlwind of blood-spattered predicaments.

There are a lot of vampire movies to choose from these days, but this one legitimately shines like the glittery blood-suckers they parody throughout the story. Give I Had a Bloody Good Time At House Harker a chance if you’re looking for some over the top fun, and maybe even buy yourself a t-shirt to mark the occasion. 

8 Out Of 10