Here is yet another horror steeped in ‘80s reference and reverence. However, instead of the shimmering neon and sultry synthwave of the post-Stranger Things efforts, Destroy All Neighbors harks back to the g(l)ory days of Frank Henenlotter. Rank with Basket Case-style urban decay, this uneven but heartfelt splatter comedy comes across like Idle Hands crossed with Once. If that sounds bizarre, it absolutely is. But a game cast and lots of gorgeous, gloopy body horror make this is a weirdly charming throwback.

William Brown (Jonah Ray Rodrigues) is a struggling musician trying to finish his prog-rock magnum opus. He blames his inability to complete his masterpiece on anything other than himself, much to the annoyance of his girlfriend Emily (Kiran Deol). When Vlad, the neighbour from hell moves in next door, he riles the usually ineffectual William so much he goes to confront him. One accidental decapitation later and Vlad is dead, albeit far from quiet. This nightmare scenario only gets worse, but William discovers that sometimes adversity can breed inspiration.

Director Josh Forbes is known for his music videos for the likes of The Offspring, Carly Rae Jepsen, and Giraffe Tongue Orchestra, so a musical theme is a logical choice for his feature debut. Forbes loose-limbed, relaxed directorial style may have suited a punkier protagonist than the ultra-technical prog devotee we get, but he nails the solipsism of the obsessive creative mindset. The slight problem is that, although Rodrigues is a suitably befuddled protagonist, his permanent neurosis does not make for the most compelling hero. As he cuts an accidental swathe in his quest for rock immortality, it is hard to really will him to succeed. You can hardly blame Emily for leaving, even though it leads to the talented comic Deol ending up thoroughly short-changed as the standard long-suffering girlfriend.

Thankfully, there is a cavalcade of cheerfully silly supporting characters. The biggest selling point for ‘80s kids may be the presence of Alex Winter as Vlad. Buried beneath layers of prosthetics even before his dismemberment, the Bill & Ted and Lost Boys icon is having a grand old time as the deranged tenant with the penchant for homemade gym equipment and ear-splitting EDM. Imagine if Father Fintan Stack was from the Caucasus and you are someway there. Adopting a persona of amiable malevolence, he manages to be both menacing, yet really endearing.

Further support providing excellent value are Ryan Kattner (who also composed the immaculate pastiche of overblown rock operatics played by William) as an arrogant and more successful musician, Christian Calloway as a homeless eccentric who plays a mean bass, and The Karate Kid and Cobra Kai’s Randee Heller as William and Vlad’s luckless landlady.

Destroy All Neighbors quite simply sets out to entertain and it succeeds. Its simple pleasures deserve an appreciative and lubricated cinema crowd, although whether films like this would still be seen at all without the prevalence of streaming is arguable. Reminiscent of the slapstick carnage of early Peter Jackson, prehensile entrails and all, and made with a jocular spring in its step, it is a cheerfully gross and unpretentious slice of retro fun with a wholesome ‘all-for-one’ message.

Screening on Shudder from Fri 12 Jan 2024