There are queer films that reify queer identity, films that celebrate it, films that honor it, films that depict it, and films that examine it. There are films that denigrate it, exploit it, deride it, misrepresent it, or use it simply as a superficial sheen over straight stories. And then there are films that don't so much depict queerness as they depict homophobia. I don't mean they are homophobic films; I mean they focus more on the homophobia than the identity, humanity, or reality of queer people. And usually, these films end up being coarse gay misery films or tired cliches.But then there is this. You could easily argue that this is a film that exploits homophobia. It is a film that denigrates it. It derides it. It uses it as a superficial sheen over straight stories. Not queer identity, not queerness, not homosexuality, but homophobia. It takes an ostensibly straight protagonist and his violent incestuous mother and pits them against a homophobic detective. His homophobia is vocal, forthright, vicious, full of every stereotype, malicious misunderstanding, and outright lie told about queer people, and it is directed at a straight kid. That it is also directed at an adult queer couple, one of whom is dead and the other of whom is forced to resign over it is, of course, important as both part of the story and as part of the themes presented, but the majority of focus is on how that situation influences our homophobic pig to harass, target, and sometimes even legitimately investigate our foolish protagonist.The tone of the film doesn't have the menace of a really good slasher, but it has the over-the-top violence and gore of a good exploitation flick paired with a slasher movie soundtrack and plot. It makes the ridiculous stand out as ridiculous, but in an intentional way. Or at least, it seems intentional. It also makes the blunt homophobia of the detective almost comical. His performance doesn't help matters. It makes the disturbing comments he makes have less sting, less revolting impact, because it's clear the film takes neither itself nor the character seriously. It does, however, have contempt for him. Not necessarily because he's a homophobe, but certainly because he's stupid. The pairing is not the most class conscious or liberating perspective, but it completely erodes any chance the film might endorse his perspective.There is so much more going on here worth commenting on, but I don't know where to start. The incestuous drive of our villainess, the excessive and absurd gore of the opening deaths, the surprisingly interesting take on the angst hope and dreams of a teenage boy, or the absolute menace of Susan Tyrell in the scene where she has Billy's neck wrapped in a telephone cord that elevates the film from schlock to genuinely disturbing all on its own? I don't think I can fit it all in.Nothing in this is sensitively portrayed. None of it is particularly enlightened or feminist. But it has a surprising amount of compassion, and that makes it more interesting and engaging than you would expect from its description.
