‘You don’t stand a chance in Hell with you’
Val is a 2021 American comedy horror film about a criminal on the run who breaks into the home of a high-class escort. However, he soon realises nothing is as it seems…
Directed by Aaron Fradkin (Electric Love; 15 North) from a screenplay co-written with Victoria Fratz. Produced by Jonathan Carkeek, Paul Kim, Kevin McDevitt, Jeremy Meyer and Caitlin O’Connor.
The movie stars Misha Reeves (The Willows), Zachary Mooren (The Rookie; Criminal Minds), Erik Griffin (Workaholics; Murder Mystery), Sufe Bradshaw (Lovecraft Country), Kyle Howard (Orange County; My Boys) and John Kapelos (The Shape of Water; The Umbrella Academy).
Plot:
Fin (Zachary Mooren) is a criminal on the run, wanted for the murder of his boss and the accidental shooting of an officer. He breaks into the home of a high–class escort, only to discover that you get more than you bargain for with Val (Misha Reeves), short for “Valefar” – a demon who offers to make all his problems disappear if he agrees to follow her rules.
However, in Val’s world there are no accidents, and as Fin meets her other “customers”, he learns that Val was expecting him all along, and it isn’t easy to escape her dungeon…
Reviews:
“Lifting ideas from both Evil Dead and Beetlejuice, Val is a more dialogue driven affair than either, but still manages to retain the energy that makes each a classic. A comedy horror film whose emphasis relies on words as a vessel for the story rather than actions, Val is seductively entertaining.” The Hollywood News
“Most of the revelations come from dialogue, and oh what tasty dialogue it is. Both Misha Reeves (Val) and Zachary Mooren (Fin) carry the movie with illustrated revolutions from hero to villain and back again. It also has vibrant cinematography that does well to italicize the use of color and shadow in and around the mansion.” Horror DNA
“Reeves is a hoot, and she and Mooren have great chemistry together. The solid supporting cast includes Sufe Bradshaw as a no-nonsense police officer and Kyle Howard as her comic relief partner and Victoria Fratz as Fin’s girlfriend Jenny. Fradkin, who co-wrote the screenplay with Fratz, keeps the pacing at a lively clip and doles out the puzzle pieces and humor in an intriguing, engaging manner.” Horror Fuel
“Val is a great idea in search of a narrative that maintains momentum all the way through, but it’s still a hell of a lot of fun. The lighting and production design make it an enjoyable watch, and the score is perfectly suited for the film’s devilish humor. The real draw, though, is Misha Reeves as the titular Duchess of Hell. Her entrancing performance is hilarious, bold, and — forgive the pun — heavenly.” Nightmarish Conjurings
“Come for the promise of a devilishly sexy good time. Stay for some fantastic character arcs and hugely expressive acting performances. Val, which had its world premiere at Popcorn Frights is colorful, saucy, and snappy, with an undercurrent of something dark and ominous just underneath the surface.” The Scariest Things
Release:
Val first had its world premiere at Popcorn Frights Film Festival in August 2021.
In the USA, Val will be released by Dread theatrically in select locations on October 1, On-Demand on October 5, and on Blu-ray on November 2, 2021.
Cast and characters:
Misha Reeves … Val
Zachary Mooren … Fin
Kyle Howard … Officer Myers
John Kapelos … Bryan Foley
Sufe Bradshaw … Officer Daughtry
Hailee Keanna Lautenbach … Mania ‘Mannequin Girl’
Erik Griffin … Freddy
Eva-Marie Fredric … Fin’s Mom
Victoria Fratz … Jenny
Constance Ejuma … Sekhmet ‘Mannequin Girl’
Notes:
Not to be confused with the 2021 documentary of the same name about actor Val Kilmer.
Trailer:
