Knights of Badassdom

Movie Title--  Knights of Badassdom

Release Year--  2014

Running Time--  1 Hour and 26 Minutes

Director--  Joe Lynch

Cast--  Steve Zahn, Peter Dinklage, Ryan Kwanten, Summer Glau, Jimmi Simpson, Danny Pudi, Margarita Levieva, Brett Gipson

Three best friends accidentally conjure up a demon from hell when they go into the woods for a Live Action Role-Playing weekend.

Two best friends, Eric (Steve Zahn) and Hung (Peter Dinkalge) kidnap their broken-hearted  friend Joe (Ryan Kwanten) and force him to play a part in their Live Action Role Playing weekend.  When Eric, a 26th level wizard tells the Game Master, Ronnie (Jimmi Simpson), that Joe is going to be joining their party, Ronnie tells him before they get started on their quests, Joe must be "reanimated" with their missing teammate's spirit and to use a simple summoning spell on him.  Eric then uses a book he got off the internet as a prop for his spell.  He sings the words from the book out loud the best he can in the language they are written to him and he unknowingly summons a demon from hell.  Joe, who is in the middle of the circle has a picture of his ex-girlfriend Beth (Margarita Levieva) and the demon takes her form.

After people start getting killed in the forest, Ronnie figures out what Eric has done and confronts him about the book.  When Eric admits he can not read the language inside the book and he just aquired it from the internet, Ronnie tells the group the history of the book and what he has summoned.  Eric and Joe, along with their small band of heroes including Ronnie, Gwen (Summer Glau) and her cousin Gunther (Brett Gipson) have to save the other LARPers from being consumed by the demon and send it back to hell.

I just have to say, this film is absolutely ridiculous.  Don't get me wrong, I did enjoy most of it but this is definitely not a film for everyone.  I really think that only a handful of people will like this film.  I have heard of LARPing or Live Action Role Playing before but I have never seen anything about it or participated in it before and I am sure that although this film exaggerates it some, from what I have heard, it is pretty accurate.  

The demon from hell story line I really could have done without.  I mean, sure there needs to be some kind of story to keep the film moving along but the introduction of the killer succubus into the story, turns what would be an otherwise funny story into a cheep feeling slasher film.

Overall, I really enjoyed this film.  As I mentioned before, this is not going to be a film that a lot of people are going to enjoy but I think that for the most part, it is worth the watch.  Just keep in mind that the whole demon thing, at least for the first half of the film, is a little corny.  Gather your best nerd friends together for this film and Don't Forget the Popcorn!