[REVIEW] Scare Package II: Rad Chad’s Revenge
Paper Street Studios and Shudder are back with another entry into the Scare Package anthology series. Scare Package II: Rad Chad’s Revenge follows on from the events of Scare Package with the horror guru’s funeral turning into a game of survival, attendees must fight for their lives through a series of traps inspired by Rad Chad’s favourite horror films.
Directed by Paper Street Studio lead, Aaron B Koontz (The Pale Door, 2020 and Scare Package, 2019) with the help of segment writers and directors Alexandra Barreto, Anthony Cousins, Jed Shepherd, and Rachele Wiggins, the anthology evolves into a gory and bloody chaotic mess full of horror tropes and movie references. The writers and directors of Scare Package II do not shy away from being obnoxious and explicit with their references and tropes which makes for comical dialogue, scene setups, and murder scenes.
The anthology kicks off with Rad Chad’s (Jeremy King) funeral, attendees include survivors from Scare Package such as Zoe Kapsowski ("Horror Hypothesis”) while there are a new cast of characters from Zoe’s Mum played by horror icon Kelli Maroney through to Rad Chad’s accountant Rick. Overall, there are four segments throughout Scare Package II: Rad Chad’s Revenge which are broken up with the funeral service survivors battling against a barrage of games testing their wits—and their patience. Using their knowledge of horror movies and its rules, the funeral goers must fight their way through toxic gas, beer pong championships, and killer bees.
With ‘Welcome To The 90s’ starting off the anthology segments, director Alexandra Barreto hilariously exposes the tropes that are applied to final girls and the way that they have been written into the history books. Cleverly named STD (sure to die) sorority sister Buffy (Steph Barkley) and the final girls referencing some of our favourites through outfits and name, the group of gals must overcome their own internalised misogyny and stereotypes to stop their unexpected deaths. The girls band together to defeat tropes and stereotyping, putting an end to slut shaming and relentless murderers based on sexualities and lifestyles.
Daisy (Chelsea Grant) from "The Night He Came Back Again! Part IV: The Final Kill" returns in the segment "The Night He Came Back Again! Part VI: The Night She Came Back". This segment directed by Anthony Cousins is most likely the most bloodsoaked entry into the anthology. With tropes from our favourite films such as Friday 13th used throughout, Cousins segment is full of gory slashings, exploding bodies, and gun toting doctors. There are many hilarious turns in this short segment that will have you laughing in the face of our favourite horror villains.
Not only does Scare Package II nail it with awesome storytelling and the selection of filmmakers working together on each segment, the anthology really works impeccable on special and practical effects. The ways in which the prop and design teams have incorporated special effects amplifies the body horror and increases the goopy and gore factor. In one scene, funeral director Moira is overcome by her allergies to bees, her face slowly being consumed by the venom pulsating through her body. The practical effects feel like a cheeky nod to segments like ‘One Time In The Woods’ that was featured in Scare Package (2019).
Scare Package II: Rad Chad’s Revenge is a delightfully chaotic and hilarious entry into the Scare Package compendium streaming exclusively on Shudder. Each segment has been selected with precision as per the first entry into the series, there is a deliberate care that is taken to maintain the quality of filmmaking and horror storytelling with Scare Package II. Aaron B Koontz should be commended on his ability to bring to the screen such a wonderful pairing of horror and comedy in a hazardous way that works so astonishingly well for the genre.
Scare Package II: Rad Chad’s Revenge is now streaming exclusively on Shudder.
