‘Mad Heidi’ Will Resonate with Fans of Macabre Schlock [Review]
Recently, we saw Winnie-the-Pooh and the Hundred Acre Wood get the horror treatment. Hot on his furry heels comes the latest childhood-ruining horror film, Mad Heidi. Though one could make a convincing argument that it’s taboo to juxtapose a beloved character from classic literature against a backdrop of violence, nudity, and sex jokes, one would be better served to just have fun with it. Mad Heidi is an irreverent take that nods to the grindhouse pictures of yesteryear and entertains with a nonstop barrage of cheap thrills.
Heidi (Alice Lucy) lives an idyllic existence high in the Swiss Alps. She shares a home with her loving grandfather and enjoys the company of her gentleman friend Goat Peter (Kel Matsena). But when Peter gets mixed up in the trafficking of illegal cheese, the powers that be kill him on sight. A heartbroken Heidi is captured following Peter’s execution and imprisoned by the government. After escaping from captivity and intent on avenging the death of her lover, Heidi sets out on an ass-kicking quest for justice. Revenge will be hers and blood will be spilled.
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Directors Johannes Hartmann and Sandro Klopfstein have imbued Mad Heidi with an aesthetic and tone similar to throwbacks like Machete or Planet Terror but with a sense of humor that’s far more outlandish and a penchant for slapstick gags. Most of the jokes are cheap and many of them outright stupid. But the comedy works, in part because everything is played so straight. And that only serves to underscore how absolutely ridiculous the proceedings are.
The cheese puns are ever-present and completely ridiculous. I wasn’t entirely sure if that was sustainable at the onset. But the film eventually won me over with a hefty helping of dry wit that makes it almost impossible not to laugh. We see cheese passed out like medication in prison, waterboarding with fondue, and a number of other absolutely outrageous uses of the dairy product.
The film also pokes some good-natured fun at Swiss culture. One memorable sequence sees an immigration official denying every application for citizenship that comes across his desk. That made me chuckle, as Switzerland is notoriously one of the most difficult countries for foreigners to naturalize.
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Jokes aside, the narrative is all over the place and often defies logic. But you can tell that Sandro Klopfstein, Johannes Hartmann, Gregory D. Widmer, and Trent Haaga had fun scripting this maniacal farce. The dialogue is dumb but undeniably funny. I couldn’t help but chuckle at statements like “Lactose intolerance is a threat from within”. Mad Heidi actually gets a lot of mileage out of demonizing lactose intolerance, which is regarded as a crime worse than treason within the narrative. And it’s treated with stone-cold sincerity. The stoic severity with which people speak of it makes it hard to keep a straight face. Seeing as it’s a recurring theme, the joke evolves and builds upon itself.
In addition to a persistently outlandish sense of humor, Mad Heidi also features some solid performances. Alice Lucy is plenty effective in the titular role. She nails the fight choreography and manages to be quite convincing in her transition from a peaceful child of the mountain to a one-woman ass-kicking machine with an axe to grind.
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Additionally, Casper Van Dien is terrific as the unhinged Swiss president. He is flamboyant, self-obsessed, and wholly detached from reality. The character is completely outrageous and the actor seems to be having a blast with the material. I have long found him to be an underrated thespian and it’s nice to see him getting the chance to shine in a role that allows him to flex his comedic chops.
The icing on the blood-soaked cake would have to be the effects work. The carnage is comprised of a mixture of practical and VFX techniques. Arterial spray is the order of the day, not to mention a multitude of exploding heads. Even the most discerning gore hounds will surely be satisfied with the pervasive carnage.
All things considered, Mad Heidi is a silly good time that kept me laughing throughout. Most of the jokes land; the performances are effective; and the carnage is all kinds of over-the-top. The film is now available via VOD, DVD, and Blu-ray. If you’re fond of lowbrow exploitation schlock, do yourself a favor and check Mad Heidi out for yourself.
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‘Mad Heidi'
Summary
‘Mad Heidi’ should appeal to anyone with questionable taste and a twisted sense of humor.
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