I quite enjoyed this. Despite its opening and closing credits that feel too grand for a movie this small full of only unknowns, Useless Humans is a genuinely sweet and silly fast watch that I would heartily recommend for a Hallowe’en party.
Its plot of a long-awaited friend reunion is familiar, but with a twist: a murderous alien (don’t go expecting stellar SFX here) has crash-landed near their party house and has definitely not come in peace.
While the photography and direction are a bit off in places (including a dodgily-acted but key B-plot about some mercenaries), the pacing and gags sell the rest of the story, which is told with visible warmth through the performances and cast chemistry – these are characters you really do care about. This movie knows its players and its script are its strengths, so thankfully the humour eschews laddish, crude jokes in favour of genuinely funny moments, self-aware jabs and not-so-subtle genre references.
It’s demonstrably cheap, but even if you don’t bother with the credits-long outtakes, it’s also quite clear that the fun had in making this film has made it into the film itself, which is what would make it ideal for a spooky watch party.
Score: 🎃🎃🎃🎃
An Englishwoman in Salem 