Hawk and Rev: Vampire Slayers (2020) Review

Hawk and Rev: Vampire Slayers (2020) Review

Philip “HAWK” Hawkins (Ryan Barton-Grimley) doesn’t just dream about killing vampires… He eats, sleeps, drinks and freakin’ breaths it. After getting kicked out of the Army for staking a fellow soldier with a blunt two by four, Hawk almost dies of boredom working as a night security guard at a deserted warehouse in his hometown of Santa Muerte, California… USA. Just when it looks like all Hawk’s options in life have expired, filthy blood-sucking vampires appear and of course… Nobody freakin’ believes him!

With his back up against the wall, his sweaty Karate Kid headband tied on tight, real tight, and hordes of blood-thirsty vampires closing in, Hawk enlists the help of the one person who kind of believes him… Revson “REV” McCabe (Ari Schneider), a dimwitted, vegan-pacifist groundskeeper. Together they join forces to save the whole entire freakin’ world. Well… At least their hometown anyway.

HAWK AND REV: VAMPIRE SLAYERS recently received its world premiere at the Dances with Films Festival in Los Angeles and I only wish I could have posted my review sooner to give you the heads-up on this gloriously dizzy slice of Eighties throwback comedy-horror. Writer/director Barton-Grimley’s film has a likeable goofball nature with a hint of Edgar Wright’s work amongst the numerous movie name checks and references that make-up the banter between mismatched buddies Hawk (also Barton-Grimley) and Rev.

Whilst some may gripe that there’s very little vampire slaying on offer no one could seriously quibble with the abundant amusing dialogue between our leads as they discuss putting an end to a couple of leather-clad dudes (of which Jack Bradley is rather scrumptious) and their gimp, whom they have spied upon from afar and believe to be bloodsucking vampires. HAWK AND REV: VAMPIRE SLAYERS is daft, it’s stupid and, unlike a lot of movies I receive to review, it’s actually meant to be daft and stupid. In fact, it’s an utter delight from start to finish.

If you missed HAWK AND REV: VAMPIRE SLAYERS in the midnight movie slot for the opening night of the DANCES WITH FILMS festival in Los Angeles then fear not, it’s also playing on the closing night, September 5th.

OFFICIAL TRAILER