Discretely low-budget, pointedly over the top, wildly inauthentic - schlocky horror-comedy bluster is exactly what filmmaker Steve Rudzinski does. Not all his movies come off with equal success, though if 2016's 'CarousHell' and its 2021 sequel are any indication, he's perfecting his style over time. Released in 2012, while 'Everyone must die!' certainly carries the hallmarks of Rudzinski's films, it seems rough around the edges by comparison. I can absolutely understand how this would have limited appeal, but for those who can appreciate low-grade genre romps, it's suitably enjoyable and worth a mere 70 minutes.
Blunt, forthright, and consciously overcooked in every regard, this emphasizes at every turn that it doesn't take itself seriously. Dialogue, scene writing, characters, narrative, direction, editing, acting, cinematography, music, effects, and all else are considered only with a mind for utmost unreal ham-handedness. Comedy is borne from tongue-in-cheek mockery, and referential humor; plainly absurdist situational humor, and exaggerated characters and scene writing; puns, quips, one-liners, and intentionally inane dialogue; and sight gags and sex jokes, in abundance. Throw in blood and gore with tinges of genre elements, and purely gratuitous nudity; ensure that plot development is buried amidst long scenes that deviate from the story with distinct nonchalance, and voila! - 'Everyone must die!' With the latter aspect particularly in mind, suffice to say that mileage will vary greatly from one viewer to the next.
For my part, I do like this. It's ridiculous, but purposefully so, and not only do I admire the gumption to make movies in such a fashion, but I think this picture is entertaining on its own merits. I also must reiterate, however, that it's not as strong as some of Rudzinski's other titles, and I chalk this up to relative inexperience and still getting a grasp on the types of films he wanted to make. The narrative is simple, yet still feels less than whole; one can easily imagine a more complete, cohesive story that could be told with the same premise. Horror-comedy requires a dexterous hand; in this case I don't think the two facets are balanced, and taken together with the deep inauthenticity and low-budget nature, both somewhat fall flat. This is especially true as there's more time spent on humor than carnage, yet jokes struggle to land in the first place. I say that on a general level, but also in specific instances: more so than in some other comedies I've watched, dialogue and characters sometimes ride a fine line as the screenplay makes a few very unlikable, and also racist or homophobic. We're supposed to laugh in mockery of such dimwitted bigotry, or cheer when these characters eat the dust, but the inclusions are nonetheless so indelicate and heavy-handed that they border on offensive and suck some of the fun from the experience. And as if all this weren't enough, 'Everyone must die!' has definite problems with pacing - in the length of the film, in plot development from A to B to C, in transitions between scenes, in the progression of many scenes as they present, and even in the delivery of lines.
For everything that this wants to be, and in some measure is, the broad flaws and shortcomings and the nature of the construction unmistakably serve as limits on the best potential, and on audience engagement. Mind you, I don't specifically cast blame on Rudzinski or anyone else involved. I can see the passion, hard work, and spirit of good fun that everyone put into this; just as much to the point, no one lambastes major time-honored filmmakers like Stanley Kubrick, John Carpenter, or David Cronenberg for the faults in their earliest films (see 'Fear and desire,' 'Dark star,' or 'Stereo'), nor should they. It's just that when one takes a swing, the result might be either a hit or a miss, and while 'Everyone must die!' isn't a strike, it's surely no homerun. Still - though decidedly imperfect, I had a good time watching. The idea is swell, I genuinely love Carson Mauthe's original music, and the cast gleefully embrace the tomfoolery; of anyone, I'm actually quite impressed with what Nicole Beattie brings to her role. I see in my mind's eye what the movie could be if, say, Rudzinski had another go at it in 2022. I'm not sure who I would necessarily recommend it to, since it clearly plays to so very niche a viewership, but if you like your horror-comedy extra campy and nonsensical, 'Everyone must die!' just might be up your alley.
