Raunchy, Unrated Horror Comedy The Perfect Deal With The Devil’s Sexiest
Written by Robert Scucci | Published
If you find yourself on the run from the law, it’s probably not a good idea to hide in a stranger’s house while you wait for it to cool down. When Fin (Zachary Mooren) makes that exact mistake in 2021 Valyou quickly realize that three hots and a bed might not be the worst outcome. Compared to what he stumbles upon, prison starts to make sense. After all, it’s not every day that you break into the house of a high-class escort named Val (Misha Reeves) who is also a devil.
Despite being billed as a horror comedy, Val it’s not the kind of unexpected chaos. It plays more like a straight comedy that flirts with near-horror tropes and Satanic spice. There is violence and gory imagery to enjoy, but the real result is the back and forth between Mooren and Reeves.
Their banter carries the film, turning what could have been a single home invasion setup into something very entertaining. Fin gets more than he bargained for when he realizes he’s trapped between the police outside and the real devil inside who has no intention of letting him go. A lot of the fun comes from watching him realize just how bad he is Val fun toys with him all the time.
You’ve Walked into the Wrong House, Bud
Val it starts with a chase that quickly turns into a breaking and entering situation. We are introduced to Fin as he runs away from Officer Daughtry (Sufe Bradshaw) and Myers (Kyle Howard). Once caught, Fin shoots Officer Daughtry, and runs, arriving at Val’s home.
Val is a high-class escort who lives in a beautiful mansion supported entirely by her willingness to treat her clients like dogs. He’s got whips and chains, and all those things safely locked away when he needs to entertain, but otherwise he looks unremarkable. When Fin decides that maybe he should rob her, he immediately starts playing mind games, but is interrupted when one of his most valuable clients, Fredy (Erik Griffin), arrives for his regular dominatrix session.
Not fully realizing how crazy his night is about to get, Fin keeps pretending to be a hardass, but quickly relents when he realizes the gravity of the situation. Val never clearly states that he is the devil early on, but the subtext is perfect. He has strange mannequins in his basement, he reads from strange texts, and his reflection never leaves the mirror when he walks across the room. Fin, wearing Val’s nighty for most of the evening while his clothes are being washed (Val is still a good host), plans to escape, which seems difficult because the police are knocking on the door looking for him, and Val doesn’t really feel like getting the law involved.
Cold as ice
Misha Reeves is the last engine Val running. He plays the best version of the worst person imaginable. Val is contemptuous, condescending, and endlessly annoying to Fin, which makes watching him all the more satisfying. As annoying as he is, there’s a glint in his eye that makes it clear that he knows he’s right, and so do we. He’s perfectly content to mind his own business before Fin kicks in his door, and he clearly enjoys changing the dynamic with minimal effort. Val is not a damsel in distress. She is a demon who enjoys stretching her legs and is a little bit happy with the fast paced environment. The fact that he is a complete dimepiece is just icing on the cake.
Val a windy watch that doesn’t take itself too seriously, it works perfectly for itself. It’s obviously low budget, but it never tries to be anything it’s not. The special effects are few, the animations are usable, and nothing feels overwhelming. What Val the lack of visual spectacle is easily offset by the sharp dialogue and chemistry between its leads.
It may be labeled as a horror comedy, but don’t let that scare you. Val it ultimately plays more like a comedy that sits comfortably on the fringes of the horror genre without fully committing to it. From this writing, you can broadcast Val free on Tubi.
