Horror Movie Review: You Can’t Kill Stephen King (2012)

Stephen King is one of the world’s most famous horror movie writers. His work is loved by millions & much of it has been adapted (often poorly) into movies. The Shining, IT, The Dead Zone, The Stand, Stand by Me, The Shawshank Redemption, Dreamcatcher, Under the Dome, The Dark Tower & much more.

It’s King himself that is the basis of this horror comedy. A group of friends head off to Maine for a holiday with the hope of meeting the man himself. Unfortunately, they meet a hostile reception. The people of the town don’t want them there & they don’t want them meeting King.

It’s not long before the group are bring killed off but in the style of some of King’s lesser known works.

Directed by Monroe Mann, Ronnie Khalil & Jorge Valdés-Iga. Starring Monroe Mann, Ronnie Khalil, Crystal Arnette, Kayle Blogna, Kate Costello & Justin Brown. You Can’t Kill Stephen King starts off well enough as it introduces the characters in amusing ways. They’re one dimensional, the kind of characters you might expect to see in an 80’s slasher. The movie plays up to that but it doesn’t make them anymore interesting to watch.

Ultimately fans of Stephen King’s more obscure work will find more to enjoy here. The kills come from short stories & part time fans will be left extremely puzzled. Other then a lengthy & silly dream sequence that chucks in a few fun references there isn’t a whole lot. Thankfully one of the group happen to be a King super-fan & is able to work out in detail the manner of each death. This of course, puts him under-suspicion. He does little to deflect that too being a bit lecherous & his constant sarcasm grates on the nerves after a short while.

As a modern slasher, the movie doesn’t add or detract from a pretty exhausted genre. It’s best to approach You Can’t Kill Stephen King with low expectations. Any humour at the start is lost as the movie goes on & the meta-ness of the King link loses pace with the lack of fun & interesting kills.

It embraces slasher clichés with some glee which is admirable but there is little innovation. Those hoping for a King cameo will be very disappointed as he seems to have no involvement in the movie at all.