See Ya, Champ

Mikey Review

Mikey poster

Having friends who love horror films just as much as you is great. You can discuss the stuff you love and hate with someone likeminded and even if your opinions differ, it’s usually a pretty good time. I will say that I don’t blatantly ignore my friends’ recommendations, but I do infact find it difficult to squeeze them in amongst the hundreds (yes, hundreds) of other flicks I have on my to-watch list. As somewhat of a new record for me, it has only taken me about three weeks to watch the latest one recommended to me — Dennis Dimster’s Mikey.

The Plot

Mikey is a seemingly normal nine year old boy, but when he is adopted by his new family and falls in love with his next-door neighbor, his true nature is revealed.

My Thoughts

I have no idea how this movie has fallen under my radar for so damn long. I know there are tons of horror films that exist that I’ve never heard a peep about, but this one? Really?

Everyone loves a good ‘killer kid’ flick and Mikey is right up there with some of the most entertaining that the sub-genre has to offer.

The cast of Mikey, comprised of both familiar and unknown faces, does a great job overall. Longtime genre fans will recognize the likes of Mimi Craven (A Nightmare on Elm Street, Swamp Thing), John Diehl (Escape from New York, Jurassic Park III), Whit Hertford (A Nightmare on Elm Street 5: The Dream Child) and of course Ashley Laurence (Hellraiser, Lurking Fear), but it is Brian Bonsall (Blank Check) as the titular Mikey who really steals the show here.

I wouldn’t say that Bonsall’s performance is an award-winning one by any means, but this youngster certainly knew how to go from adorable and sweet to downright creepy with the flip of a proverbial switch. He could make his new parents fall in love with him almost instantly, but behind those sweet eyes and as close to perfect demeanor as you can get, truly lies something evil.

This 1992 doesn’t take long to get into the swing of things; Shortly after the opening credits roll, Mikey is already up to no good. He swiftly extinguishes his current family, in pretty brutal fashion I might add, which does a great job of setting up the tone of the rest of the film. For the remainder of the movie’s 91 minutes, you’ll find yourself holding your breath until the next moment young Mick will strike.

Mikey at Home

Mikey is available to own on Blu-ray now from MVD as part of their collector-friendly Rewind Collection line. The new home release features another one of MVD’s neat patented slipcovers with retro VHS rental-styled artwork that is sure to make all of my fellow slipcover addicts foam at the mouth.

Mikey is presented in 1.78:1 format and features an English Stereo 2.0 LPCM audio track. There are also English subtitles available for the deaf and hard of hearing.

I wasn’t expecting much in terms of bonus content, but MVD has treated fans to an awesome feature-length documentary about the making of the film, which is a great compliment to the movie itself. Running at 87 minutes, this doc features interviews with cast and crew and gives insights into how Mikey came about and what it took to make the film.

Also included is another brand new featurette entitled “Mikey: The Anatomy of a Scene,” the theatrical trailer, and a collectible mini poster.

The Verdict

First time director Dennis Dimster-Denk was able to give horror fans a solid entry in the killer kid subgenre. It was made and released in 1991/92, coming off of the high of the Golden era of horror, and hit before things started to stray too far from the good stuff.

It isn’t without its faults, as no film really ever is, however. There were a few times where I shouted to my television, “why are you just standing there?! move out of the way!” There was some overreacting, some underreacting, and other little quirky 90’s horror decisions made here and there, but nothing that ever really took me out of the good time that I was having.

If you are a fan of early 90’s horror and love you some creepy kids, Mikey is a must see. Pick up a copy today, as I give this one 4 bad pilgrims out of 5.

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