BINGO HELL (REVIEW)
Dir. Gigi Saul Guerrero
Reviewer. Martyn Wakefield
BINGO HELL plays all the numbers and delivers on an absolute grindhouse blast. Reminiscent of grindhouse classics like HOBO WITH A SHOTGUN and the nasties of the era, Gigi Saul Guerrero's feature debut is more treat than trick.
Showing as part of Amazon Prime and Blumhouse now annual collaborations showcasing four original movies for Halloween, BINGO HELL sees a strong and stubborn group of elderly friends who refuse to be gentrified. Their leader, Lupita (Adriana Barraza), keeps them together as a community, a family. But little did they know, their beloved Bingo hall is about to be sold to a much more powerful force than money itself.
The camerawork is not toned down from Luchadore productions visually stunning shorts that have been with us for for nearly a decade and despite making segments for anthology films previously, BINGO HELL really allows Guerrero to shine in her own macabre madness as the dirty look and feel amidst neon lighting and flashing lights really suit the film's nature despite being centred around grandparents.
The film won't tailor to everyone and it doesn't care. Here there's a sense of leave your brain at the door and enter the bingo hall of terror for a ghost ride that's there to enjoy, not to endure. There's nothing to fear but instead each character is set up well enough to care about their fate, even if it does come at the queasy expense of their lives and nothing brings heart like a bunch of old folk kicking ass.
Richard Brake is obviously having the time of his life hamming it up to top tier villain and doesn't disappoint. Yet with all it's blood and guts as well as a Richard Brake's new horror icon, it really is an ensemble piece of old folk who love their town with added demonic spirit. There's plenty of gross out gore and while Bingo and horror don't go in the same sentence, they certainly work in a leave-your-brain at home kind of way. A film that never takes itself too seriously but brings boat loads of blood, BINGO HELL sure has balls.
