User Reviews

CHOP is the directorial debut of Deadgirl screenwriter Trent Haaga.

Will Keenan (Tromeo and Juliet, Terror Firmer) breaks down on the highway and is picked up by a stranger (Timothy Muskatell), who shots him with a tranquilizer.

What follows is crazy, and funny, and a bit gory. First his brother, then his wife, and Lance (Keenan) still doesn't know the stranger and why he has it out for him.

Things just get worse and worse for Lance. His past comes roaring back in retribution for his crimes until it all ends with him finally remembering the stranger - a perfect ending.

First I would like to mention that I had a question about the duration of this flick. On IMDb it's clocking in at 98 minutes and looking at US DVD's it clocks in at 89 minutes but the European official release clocks in at 78 minutes. I can't think that they cut out 20 minutes to make an release in Europe. I never had that seen happen except for A Serbian Film (2010) that was cut 19 minutes for a UK release.

There's no real horror to catch in Chop, this is really a no-brainer with some comedy attached. But as you all know I have troubles with comedy from the US. Mostly it doesn't work and here I never had a smile on my face. It's silly that I can tell and you just can't take it seriously. There's indeed some chopping on a guy captured by a man asking him for an excuse for what he did to that man. By trying to solve who he is he admit other crimes and the victims or friends are coming in to torture the captured man.

Gore, no, funny, not really, just an excellent flick to watch with your friends while necking some brewskies.

Gore 1/5 Nudity 0/5 Effects 2/5 Story 2/5 Comedy 0/5

You know by now this isn't going to change your life or how you define film, so let me tell you what it can do for you. A perfectly decent latenight comedy horror viewing, made proportionately better by how much beer at hand.

The guy behind this grinded his teeth working at Troma, so he knows film as Lloyd Kaufman taught it; make your own damn movie, doesn't matter how cheap or choppy so long as the game is agile, self-aware and one step ahead of you dear viewer. This is done on the cheap but is all the rest. The setup here is that our likable guy is being quite literally chopped away until he can remember how he affected others. Turns out he was a pain in the ass junkie before he cleaned his act. Strangers are brought in to take a piece. Our half-mad psycho keeps taunting for an answer.

There is some gore and some tension involved that is probably being spoofed from Hostel - our guy looks a little like Roth anyway - but this is pitch black comedy first and foremost, like Trome used to do it minus too much explicitness. So throw some weirdness on screen that you know is going to attract a crowd, then be a good host and make everybody have a good time. This one does, up to the halfway point at least.

The downside: it's a great premise, our guy wakes up and fingers are missing. It hinges a lot of its power on us feeling genuinely sorry for the plight of our awkward protagonist. But that's the whole thing and it's not taken further. While enjoyable and riproaring for a while, it gets tedious in the latter stages.

The Pegg/Wright team could have done this with more acerbic wit, a young Sam Raimi with some cinematic verve. It would have been a classic in both cases.

This one feels like it goes on and on. A man is stalked and taken brutal vengeance upon by a mysterious figure from his crack-smoking past. Going after his family and eventually, his body parts, the antogonist won't stop until the protagonist remembers and apologizes for a transgression he can't remember! Although it's not as confusing as it sounds, it's twice as tedious. The plot is ambitious enough but the (over) acting is usually obnoxious, with occasional decent moments. The premise is creative, but silly. The special gore effects sequences range from 'meh' to pretty good, but nothing outstanding-that is, when the camera doesn't cut away from the violence. By the end of the film, I had quit caring about the big reveal and was saying "big deal..."

Lance Reed (Will Keenan) is forced by a psychotic stranger to confront his duplicitous past. Seeking retribution for a crime, the man forces Lance to reveal his innermost secrets by systematically removing his limbs.

Will Keenan ("Terror Firmer") and director Trent Haaga are Troma veterans, and it shows. They take the fun of low budget and bring it here, in full force. I am actually surprised Lloyd Kaufman makes no cameo. (Who does make a cameo? Actually, Camille Keaton of "I Spit on Your Grave". Nice touch!)

You have to enjoy dark humor -- maybe even Troma humor -- to fully appreciate this. Should it be funny that a stranger terrorizes this guy's life and tortures him and his family? You know, probably not. But it is. Very, very funny.

A man gets a ride from a truck driver when is car beaks down in the middle of a canyon. The truck driver seems friendly at first, but before long, he's tied the man to a chair, hacking off his limbs one by one, that is, after destroying everything else in his life first. Apparently, he had wronged the truck driver years before and the driver won't stop until he can recall what he did. Mostly unstressful black-comedy/horror hybrid, as the plite of the unsympathetic protagonist fails to generate any tension and 'trying-too-hard-to-seem-clever' script boasts only a few laughs. That being said, it's still better than 'Hard Candy.'

I don't regret watching Chop but it isn't a movie I would watch again in the future. It's all a bit low budget but it's watchable. People rating this with the highest score are just exxagerating as there are thousands better movies than this one. The acting is just okay, nothing great but nothing cringing either. I could see the end coming from miles away but it wasn't bad actually. In short, I watched much worse movies so I can't complain but I watched tons of better ones as well.

Lance Reed (Will Keenan) is happily married and life is good. While traveling, his car breaks down and Lance accepts a ride from a helpful stranger. (Timothy Muskatel) The stranger then proceeds to jokingly ask him who would he save in a hypothetical situation, his wife or brother.

Then, not so jokingly, he shoots Lance with a tranquilizer gun. He's rather annoyed at Lance, you see. Reason being, Lance did something on him years ago, that caused him to suffer. Now he's gonna make Lance suffer. Problem is, Lance can't remember who this guy is, and feels he doesn't know him from Adam. This enrages the stranger even more. Now he's gonna make Lance suffer even more. Bit by bit, and piece by piece, he will totally destroy every aspect of Lance's life, and the lives of those he cares about...

This sounds pretty grim from the premise, but Chop is actually one of the funniest horror comedies I've seen in ages. Trent Haaga, who cut his teeth with Troma, (and who also wrote the rather impressive Deadgirl) has created a dark but hilarious horror flick that pokes fun at torture themed horrors very effectively.

With great performances from both Keenan and Muskatel, as well as some belly laugh scenes and dialogue, not to mention some decent gore FX, it's a treat for any horror fan, particularly fans of torture themed horrors. This film really shouldn't work with such a premise, but it honestly does, and it went down a real treat with the crowd at the Dead By Dawn 2011 festival, where I caught it.

9/10 it's an excellent and very funny little horror and highly recommended. And all you exploitation fans out there... see if you can spot a cameo from Camille "I Spit On Your Grave" Keaton.

I rarely write reviews but this one merits it. I am a horror movie fan, 34 year old woman, and I absolutely loved "Chop" - it is one worth watching again and again. I would classify this as a dark/black humor horror movie, with a sharp sense of irony and wit about it. It has a lot of gore in it, and gratuitous buckets of blood, to satisfy the torture movie lovers out there, and it is genuinely bizarre, funny and highly enjoyable to watch. 10 out of 10 for ingenuity, original plot and story line, and all around great horror movie.

One thing I highly recommended is to go into this movie with as little information as possible, don't "expect" anything, and reading ANY spoilers will pretty much ruin it...other than that, make sure you have a strong stomach and a good sense of graveyard humor.

I can't believe there are only 6 reviews on this film. My God this film had me in tears laughing all the way through. It's sharp, clever, witty and downright hilarious. I won't get involved into any plot ideas here but lets just say there are a myriad of plot twists on display here. In fact this film is extremely gruesome as well but it balance the elements very nicely to pack in a 90min feature. The director has been noted with this reveiwer and the main hero of the film is a talent beyond talent. The show really belongs to the main antagonist as he is full of tricks up his sleeve and is so evil throughout. This is in the runnings for best comedy horror for me of all time.

"Chop" takes you on a twisted and darkly humorous ride through the depths of vengeance and absurdity. The film kicks off with Lance Reed (played brilliantly by Will Keenan), a happily married man, whose life is cruising along smoothly. However, his journey takes a sharp turn when his car breaks down, and he accepts a ride from the seemingly helpful stranger, portrayed by Timothy Muskatel.

What begins as a seemingly innocent exchange takes a bizarre and sinister turn when the stranger, in a darkly comedic twist, asks Lance who he would save in a hypothetical life-or-death situation - his wife or his brother. But the laughter fades as Lance is shot with a tranquilizer gun by this stranger with a long-standing grudge against him. The reason for this vendetta? Something Lance did to him years ago, something that left the stranger scarred and vengeful.

The crux of the film lies in Lance's inability to remember his assailant, which only infuriates the stranger more. Determined to make Lance suffer, the stranger embarks on a relentless mission to destroy every aspect of Lance's life, along with those he holds dear.

While the premise of "Chop" might seem grim, it's actually a refreshing take on horror comedies. Trent Haaga, known for his work with Troma and the acclaimed "Deadgirl," has masterfully crafted a dark yet hilariously entertaining horror flick. The film cleverly satirizes the torture-themed horror genre, injecting humor into situations that would typically be horrifying.

Both Will Keenan and Timothy Muskatel deliver standout performances that keep you engaged from start to finish. The film's script is packed with belly laugh-inducing scenes and witty dialogue, making it a delightful treat for horror fans, especially those with a taste for the unconventional.

Additionally, "Chop" doesn't skimp on the gore effects, satisfying the cravings of fans of the horror genre. Despite its seemingly improbable premise, the film succeeds brilliantly in delivering a compelling and amusing narrative that keeps you hooked.

I had the pleasure of experiencing "Chop" at the Dead By Dawn 2011 festival, where it was met with enthusiasm from the audience. With its unique blend of horror and humor, I can confidently give it a well-deserved 9/10 rating. "Chop" is an excellent and genuinely funny horror film that I highly recommend to all horror enthusiasts. And for fans of exploitation cinema, keep an eye out for a cameo appearance by Camille "I Spit On Your Grave" Keaton. Don't miss out on this darkly comedic gem!