Featuring that special Irish charm, Extra Ordinary is a solid horror comedy driven by excellent performances and a quirky atmosphere. We will be following Rose Dooley, a driving instructor who left the supernatural world behind her after the death of her father. However, she will be pulled back into it to help a friend who she fancies. The whole story unfolds in a quaint little Irish village adding to the dreamy atmosphere. Or should I say nightmarish atmosphere because Rose will have to battle an ancient demon summoned by a fading musician. And that musician is played by none other than MacGruber himself, the one and only Will Forte.
So, not only do we get a healthy dose of occult in this horror comedy but also a bit of romance. And numerous The Exorcist references. As I’ve already said, but can’t seem to stress enough, Extra Ordinary is an extraordinarily charming movie. Even if it sometimes stumbles and falls, this charm will help you forget all about that. It also features a distinct retro vibe that’s going to take you back to the eighties with style. Something that numerous other horror comedies have been trying to do so hard lately. Trying to do and failing, to be honest. Have you ever seen those Christian documentaries warning about the dangers of the occult, Satanism, and metal music?
They were popular not just during the Satanic Panic years but also well into the nineties. And this is where I caught them. As a budding metalhead, I was interested in all things metal, dark, and yes, occult. However, by the time I was watching these documentaries they were hilariously outdated. AC/DC was a satanic band because of their song Highway to Hell and the same goes for Led Zeppelin, Black Sabbath, and others. To be more precise, the documentary I’m referencing is Hell’s Bells: The Dangers of Rock ‘N’ Roll. I recommend you get high and watch this shit, it’s freaking hilarious. Well, after that slight detour, it’s time to get back to this movie.
Just to be perfectly clear, the clips in Extra Ordinary are about the world of the supernatural and have nothing to do with metal music or Christianity. What surprised me the most about this movie was the quality of the special effects. They look absolutely stunning for such a small production. And they ain’t afraid to get a bit graphic. So, you can count on a couple of pretty brutal and bloody scenes. The way they’re trapping ghosts is also quite unique as the ectoplasm, well, it’s best that I leave that for you to discover. As a fan of Will Forte, I kind of think that this movie would be better off without his character.
I mean, the whole Irish village populated by rambunctious individuals deal was quite enough for me. However, you should know that his character is actually poking fun at a real trend that was popular during the eighties and nineties. You see, if you were an artist looking to avoid paying your taxes, you just moved to Ireland and that was it. The humor here is subtle and wholesome. It makes you not laugh at the characters but love them even more. Something we rarely see in horror comedies. And I also have to say that the finale was simply glorious.
It was big, funny and highly entertaining, just the way I like it. Finally, if you’re looking for movies like Extra Ordinary, you might want to check out Grabbers and Boys from County Hell. Both of them are excellent Irish horror comedies worth checking out. And since we’re talking about Irish comedies, I cannot stress enough how good Father Ted is. Make sure to give it a chance. And remember, you can never wake a floating goat.
Director: Mike Ahern, Enda Loughman
Writers: Demian Fox, Maeve Higgins, Mike Ahern
Cast: Maeve Higgins, Barry Ward, Will Forte, Claudia O’Doherty, Terri Chandler, Jamie Beamish
Fun Facts: Although Maeve Higgins plays Rose who’s a driving instructor in the movie, in real life she doesn’t know how to drive and neither does Claudia O’Doherty (Claudia).
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IMDb Link: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt8233874/
