Grimmfest Review: Candy Land

When the Mayflower set sail from Plymouth, England, it held the promise of a brand-new life for those onboard. The Pilgrims (or Pilgrim Fathers) landed in the New World with a determination to establish a new form of Christianity. Their puritanical brand of worship set them apart, but today this has morphed into something much more pernicious. The Bible Belt in America wields huge political and popular power. In Candy Land, sinners are beginning to be ‘saved’.

The ‘lot lizards’ have quite the reputation. Sadie (Sam Quartin), Riley (Eden Brolin), Liv (Virginia Rand) and Levi (Owen Campbell) ply their trade from a motel next to a truck stop. Watched over by Nora (Guinevere Turner) and a local sheriff (William Baldwin) with ulterior motives. It’s not a profession any of them want but it’s a way to stay alive. And they have each other’s backs. However, when they take in Remy (Olivia Luccardi), a runaway from a religious cult, it coincides with a number of grizzly murders.

Candy Land is a raucous slasher which takes the viewer for a walk on the wild side. It’s neatly done and there’s a great camaraderie between the characters. There’s also brilliant use of music, especially the songs bookmarking proceedings. Writer/Director John Swab pens a lively script and allows events to unravel in a way that, once the blood starts flowing, it never lets up. Candy Land isn’t scared to get its hands dirty or to tackle difficult subjects head on. It’s a refreshingly honest horror.

Candy Land screened at Grimmfest.