31 Review (2016)

31

Directed by Rob Zombie

Distributed by Saban Films

When I think of Halloween, my mind glosses over the usual tropes: ghosts, goblins, ghouls...

Instead, I look to humanity to scare me. “31” is a film that showcases depravity and filth and is absolutely relentless and unashamed to do so.
 

We start with a marvelous black and white intro, with a bleak but aptly delivered monologue from the one and only Doom Head, played by the iconic Richard Brake. We soon realize this is not a monologue but rather Doom Head addressing his next victim. Bloody death awaits. But unfortunately, it is not a swift death.

The film then shifts to our group of protagonists: a motley crew of carnival workers. These are societal outcasts, misfits, but they are a tight knit "family". We're given glimpses into each character's personality without a boring and mundane back story. These are not bad people; they are just people that are trying to survive.

Soon after we are introduced to our characters, we enter a fever dream of death, destruction, chaos, filth, and gore. And that, my fellow fiends, is why we are here.

Our protagonists must survive a game called "31" or die trying. The rich trio running the game are betting on who will survive, expecting that none of them will. They have a menagerie of maniacs just itching to kill our victims. And oh, do they try. Ultimately the carnies prove more resourceful than anticipated and the cavalry is called in.

Enter: Doom Head. We see him as himself first: a filthy, foul degenerate but with a level of intelligence and sophistication hidden below the crust. The real horror begins when he paints his face and begins his hunt. This is a man driven not merely by money but an absolute LOVE for the kill.
 
Guts, gore, profanity, and sex play huge roles in “31”. Rob Zombie has crafted a loving homage to 70s Grind House films while making a unique and entertaining story guaranteed to shock and horrify any who dare watch it. While not as popular as his trilogy involving the Firefly Family, “31” is still a monument to his legacy of horror and a welcome addition to the pantheon of "this makes me uncomfortable" horror.