Bad Karaoke, 2026.
Directed by Chris Lightbody and Robert J. Steinmiller Jr.
Starring Kate Miner, Lexi Underwood, Kat Cunning, Case Walker, Jenna Karan, Jonathan Jason Green, Kevin Clayette.
SYNOPSIS:
Party band Nunu is on its way to play a wedding. The group is arriving early and renting a house so they can spend a little time reconnecting, and as one member put it, “Learning to like each other again.” Band leader Hannah has brought along her new girlfriend, Ava, while band member Logan has his best friend, Matt, with him. Rounding out the group are Nunu’s final two members: Emily and Noah. On the way to their rental, they stop by a small-town bar where Emily finds a forgotten karaoke machine. The bar owner hands it to her for free, and that evening, the group gives karaoke a go. Except there’s something seriously wrong with the Sing-a-ling, and now people are dying.
Horror movies about the terrors of technology aren’t uncommon. They just typically tilt in the direction of evil AIs, robot uprisings, or the dangers of the internet — not karaoke machines. But in a time when more and more people are seeking alternatives to the online world and high-tech life, an old-fashioned karaoke machine could seem like an entertaining way to get offline and do something with friends.
The idea of a murderous karaoke machine, though, might seem a little hokey, and a movie with the title Bad Karaoke can really only go a few ways (several of which are negative). While the expectation might be that this film would be a middling-to-bad B-movie where the karaoke machine and death effects are extremely cheesy, it ended up being a delight. It’s surprisingly funny, increasingly gory, and the musical numbers are a lot of fun. Add in the main through-line of friendship, found family, and what it means to hold onto those things, and the whole thing is somehow both incredibly charming and bloody.
As hilarious and blood-splattered as Bad Karaoke is, it isn’t without a few issues. Most of them are fairly minor, but a couple of plot points stood out as overly ridiculous, mainly the fact that after the group discovered the karaoke machine was terrifying, they all chose to stay in the house with it. This could be forgiven at first, as they believe they have to willingly play the machine again for it to get kill-happy. Once they discover that isn’t true, though, none of them attempt to leave.
The group attempts other fixes, sure, such as calling 9-1-1 (which results in a hysterically funny conversation) or unplugging the machine. But the simplest solution of walking away from the home doesn’t occur to anybody until near the end of the film. Leave the car, leave the cell phones, and take a nice walk down a mountainside. Of course, the antics would have ended had they been smart about the situation, so it can be forgiven, but the solution comes across as such a glaringly obvious thing.
The other significant point of contention with Bad Karaoke comes with the ending. Some people will like the ending, but others will find it to be a total cop-out. Sure, this is a horror-comedy, so there’s some leeway in just how horrifying things turn out to be. But the ending took the safest route possible, which was disappointing after the movie went all out on the gore and chaos up to that point. These things aren’t enough to take away from the absolute enjoyment that Bad Karaoke brings, but it does bring things down just a bit.
What this film does right, though, is everything else. While a couple of the blood and guts effects are a little cheesy, most of the practical effects are utterly fantastic (and so very disgusting). Bad Karaoke doesn’t shy away from the violence or its aftermath; we’re talking a bloodbath on the level of J-horror. Gorehounds definitely won’t be disappointed.
Additionally, the cast of characters isn’t merely made up of cardboard cutouts or stereotypes, which was a relief. They are fairly diverse, and every character gets a clear-cut personality, including flaws. Too many horror movies simply stick with one-dimensional characters that nobody cares about, so Bad Karaoke is a breath of fresh air in that regard. Audiences will be genuinely upset by some of the carnage because the characters are all so likable (even the ones who aren’t that likable at first).
Bad Karaoke is one of those horror-comedies in the vein of Hanky Panky with an idea that probably shouldn’t work, but is handled so well that it not only works, but it ends up being a laugh-out-loud riot of ridiculousness and bloodshed. Equal parts appealing, silly, and all-around delight, it’s one of the better horror-comedies to come along in a while.
Flickering Myth Rating – Film: ★ ★ ★ / Movie: ★ ★ ★
Misty Layne
