The Horror Comedy You Didn’t Know You Needed!
Being a homeowner is hard enough—leaky faucets, lawn maintenance, nosy neighbors, nightmare HOAs… and now monsters from hell?! Thankfully, this neighborhood’s HOA comes with its very own monster-squad, ready to protect your home and sanity. What follows is 75 minutes of pure chaotic fun that’ll have you laughing right up to the end. A horror-comedy that knows exactly what it is and runs with it. I just caught this virtually at the Fantasia Film Festival, and we need to talk about it.
The film follows Lucas (Chris Mayers) and Jenny (Haley Leary), a couple who think they’ve found their dream home in the perfect neighborhood. Life finally seems to be coming together… until the head of the HOA, Jerry (Julian Smith), knocks on their door inviting them to a mandatory town hall meeting. After a bit of playful bickering, they reluctantly agree to attend—but this isn’t your average community gathering. Turns out, the town is sitting on a hellmouth, and things are about to get weird.
Enter the monster squad: McScruffy, the grizzled head of security; local oddballs Leslie (Tordy Clark) and Marcus (Luke Michael Williams); and a few other equally eccentric heroes. Together, they defend the town from a portal to hell that opens every equinox, unleashing a rotating cast of monsters—some classic, some outlandish, some genuinely creepy. The mix of practical effects and CGI is impressively executed, adding to the film’s charm.
This movie is hilarious, action-packed, and delightfully gory—think The Monster Squad meets Good Boys by way of Evil Dead II. Every cast member gets a moment to shine, but standouts include Chris Mayers as our mustached leader and Levi Burdick as Ted, who steps into a surprising mentor role for Lucas. Their chemistry and comic timing are pitch-perfect.
At just 75 minutes, the film moves fast—though it does drag ever so slightly in spots, I had a smile on my face the whole time.
Currently on the festival circuit, Hold the Fort will next screen at FrightFest on Saturday, August 23, 2025.
3.5 Seths out of 5!
