REVIEW: There’s little good to say about ‘Little Evil’

“Little Evil” is a Netflix original horror-comedy, released Sept. 1, about a recently married man who believes that his five-year-old stepson is the antichrist.

Gary, played by Adam Scott, his new bride Samantha, played by Evangeline Lilly, and her incredibly creepy son Lucas, played by Owen Atlas, move into a new home following the couple’s disastrous wedding. Gary experiences pressure from his wife to bond with Lucas, but quickly realizes that Lucas is much more than he signed up for.

Considering the movie’s unique description, I wasn’t quite sure what to expect. The film received 83 percent on Rotten Tomatoes, so I didn’t go into it thinking I was going to find my new favorite movie, but I was surprised by how disappointing it was. The film completely lacked the blood, gore and dirty jokes that would warrant its TV-MA rating.

I didn’t laugh as much as I hoped, and not once did I scream like a little girl while trying to shield myself with a pillow, and that’s coming from someone who avoids scary movies like the plague. Other than a few curse words here and there and constant references to Satan, which are to be expected in a movie about the antichrist, I’d say the movie was pretty family friendly. I guess the real horror lied in Gary’s unpreparedness to take on the dreaded stepfather role.

While I wasn’t impressed with the overall movie, it did have a few redeeming qualities. I liked the way that the film made a parody of the horror genre by humorously alluding to stereotypical and classic horror scenes like raining blood, static televisions, long, dimly-lit hallways and twin girls in blue dresses.

Another aspect of the film that I somewhat enjoyed was AL (with a capital L), the comic relief character played by Bridget Everett. AL is Gary’s lesbian coworker, fellow stepdad (yes, you read that right) and sidekick throughout the film. The few times that I did find myself laughing was thanks to AL’s jokes and one-of-a-kind personality. However, take away her handful of decent comedic moments and you’re left with an overdone and, at times, obnoxious character.

I wish I could say that there was some completely unexpected plot twist that made up for this otherwise lacking film, but I can’t. The ending was just as underwhelming and predictable as the rest of the film. Maybe horror-comedy isn’t the most accurate category for this film to be under? Whether you’re looking for something to haunt your dreams or make you laugh until you cry, “Little Evil” is not the film for you…or for anyone who isn’t looking to waste 94 minutes.

So what should you watch during this Halloween season? If psychological thrillers are your thing, check out this “Flatliners” review. If you’re looking for family friendly, I strongly recommend the Halloween classic “Hocus Pocus.” If you can’t get enough blood and guts, make plans to go see “Jigsaw,” the latest in the Saw franchise when it’s released Oct. 27. Can’t decide? Just binge watch season two of “Stranger Things,” like everyone else will be doing.