Horror Movie Review: Bonejangles (2017)

“When bones rattle, blood will flow”

Originally released in 2016, Bonejangles is on the loose & the body count is rising in 2017 via Video on Demand (VOD).

A group of police officers believe they have him cornered in a warehouse so go in to try & capture him. They’re far from prepared for the monster though so most end up dead. With a bit of luck the few surviving officers manage to electrocute Bonejangles knocking him out & allowing them to capture him.

The captured killer is then loaded up to be transported to a high security asylum where he will spend the rest of his life in prison. However, the transport van takes them through a small town that is under a curse. Once every year, the dead rise & attack the townsfolk because of what they once did to a succubus.

It just so happens that this is all about to occur as Bonejangles & the officers guarding him are travelling through the town.

Incidentally one of the officers used to live in the town! He left years ago after getting his heart broken by a girl. This very same girl is getting married to his direct love rival & on the day that the cursed zombies will rise! Talk about picking the right day!

For all its set-up Bonejangles doesn’t really deliver the goods in the end. The ‘zombie’ angle comes across lazy & it’s not very exciting. The succubus story is a bit better with some amusing moments coming from a particular virginal character’s interaction with her.

In fact the best thing about Bonejangles are the characters & the acting. A horror comedy, it does well in that department with some funny dialogues & silly situations. The love story might not be anything original. However, the actors play it so well that it is quite convincing by the end. You’ll want to see them get together.

Perhaps the biggest let-down of the movie though is Bonejangles himself. He never gets to shine with his murderous rampages more implied then actually shown. Although when we do get gore, it sprays it around lovingly. The film builds towards the police officers needing his help to fight off the succubus & zombies but it ends up falling flat.

Brief flashbacks to Bonejangles as a child doesn’t help matters as it humanises him, something a big, bad & evil killer like him doesn’t need. The showdown between him & the succubus is disappointing & forgettable. Something that sums up the whole movie really, forgettable except for the likeable characters, funny dialogue & good acting. A rare hit there for horror!