The Murder Podcast (2021) User Reviews

An Unconventional Hero's Journey & a Cult Film in the Making

[monkeymailbox · 8/10 · 10 September 2022]

This film is delightful & a breath of fresh air.

The horror/comedy genre has gained a heavy hitter with director William Bagley's new film "The Murder Podcast." It has a similar feel as films like, "John Dies at the End" & "Tucker & Dale Versus Evil" while remaining wholly original. Given, there's more than a few internet inside jokes, but I believe that they wouldn't detract from the experience for the uninitiated. There are a few exposition scenes that drag during the second act, but the third act makes up for that in a glorious way! The lead actors are exceptional & and this was a perfect vehicle for them to spotlight their skills. Fwiw, I can see "The Murder Podcast" becoming a cult classic.

All in all, 8/10 would recommend & will watch again!

A fun straight genre effort but lacks somewhat in the comedy section

[kannibalcorpsegrinder · 8/10 · 29 October 2022]

After a series of deaths in town, a slacker and his best friend decide to shift gears of their failing podcast to be a true-crime podcast on the murders to the annoyance of those around them, but when they realize a supernatural entity as the root of the crimes they race to stop it from spreading to their friends.

This was a rather decent genre effort but a somewhat lackluster comedy. This one is pretty much positively related to its genuine genre thrills which revolve around the mysterious supernatural entity running around town doing the murders. The being itself is a genuinely chilling entity that looks truly demonic and imposing, letting its sudden appearance from out of the shadows to attack victims out of nowhere create a suspenseful villain. That's all helped admirably by the confrontations that all provide a slew of impressive scenes involving it attacking others, with the first attack on the neighbor in the backyard of their house or the stellar sequence at the cops' house. Focusing on some genuinely chilling supernatural antics of the creatures' power while incorporating some storyline beats about the dup trying to put their plan into motion while everything blows up around them is handled incredibly well. Combined with a high-energy finale that employs plenty of unique and wholly enjoyable tactics to stop the entity that's filled with chilling action as well, these factors make it a lot of fun as the genre content is what holds this one up. There isn't much wrong here, and it's basically reserved for the comedy at the heart of the film. While there are a few genuinely good chuckles to be had with the comebacks and situations present here, far too much of this one really misses the mark when it comes to the comedy attempted in this one. By focusing on the overused trope of slacker stoner types that are more concerned with disregarding reality to do their own thing which isn't that original or clever. This type of setup is utilized far too often in the genre which doesn't make this type of humor hit as hard as it should which really underwhelms this one in the first half where this tries to paint a picture of them as slackers trying to do as little with their life as possible outside of their podcast and their antics aren't as funny as it thinks. This does grow out as the film goes on when the investigation into the incidents takes centerstage so the comedy gets toned down to where some of it's far funnier than what came before, which is really the only thing that holds it back.

Rated Unrated/R: Extreme Graphic Language, Violence, and drug use.

Fun horror film for the squeamish who enjoy the 90's and laughter

[carrie_newell · 8/10 · 19 October 2021]

The Murder Podcast is a fun film that pokes at the murder podcast genre. As true crime podcasts currently sweep the nation (world?), viewers are allowed to feel like they are in on all of these two characters' inside jokes. The film itself feels like a mix of 90's comedy and horror tropes that never takes itself too seriously. Viewers who enjoy recognizing familiar moments from their favorite films in new settings will get a kick out of battling for who knows the most. Overall, the concept is familiar and enjoyable. It makes for an enjoyable light watch.

An Unfocused Comedy and Horror Film

[Demetraes · 7/10 · 12 September 2022]

The Murder Podcast seems to be both a comedy film masquerading as a horror film and vice versa, yet fails to truly grab hold of either genre. Rather the film seems to alternate between the two throughout its runtime. It seems to lean slightly toward being a stoner comedy, but the few stoner moments fail to bring the hijinks many enjoy in other films but does enough for those who partake to get an extra laugh.

Overall the horror aspect seems shallow and while a large part of the film centers around it, the feeling of tension is often dispelled by the shenanigans of the main characters and doesn't carry throughout the plot. The horror isn't fleshed out or unique and the plot seems rather simple. Truly unfortunate as the film hints at an interesting past for our main character and town, yet fails to elaborate or weave them meaningfully into the story.

It is an interesting story unfortunately held back by its execution and writing.

A Gem for Indie Comedy

[jackfromcamp · 9/10 · 10 October 2022]

A fantastic indie comedy-horror that feels like it has the potential to become a cult classic. If nobody else is willing, I'll start the cult myself! The combination of phenomenal writing with hilarious visual comedy reminds me a lot of Edgar Wright, and the acting really brings it all together to create a one-of-a-kind experience. I genuinely enjoyed this more than some big-budget hollywood films that I've seen recently. A great movie to watch with friends if you're trying to share a late night laugh, I would EASILY recommend "The Murder Podcast."

Here's to hoping that one day we get a full length ramen podcast episode!