‘Killer Kites’ Review
Stars: Manon Pages, Austin Naulty, Carter Simoneaux | Written by Austin Frosch | Directed by Austin Frosch, Paul Dale
Tommy Wiseau has a lot to answer for. While he did not create the “bad movie” with 2003’s The Room, his misguided attempt to deliver “the passion of Tennessee Williams” resulted in a cult film which has regular theatre showings across the world. Many films followed to try and create a similar success story, but such a thing cannot be manufactured, and that is sadly evident in this work by co-directors Austin Frosch and Paul Dale.
After her grandma dies, Abby (Manon Pages) inherits a mysterious kite which she gives to her brother. After his mysterious death, the kite disappears and the body count rises, leaving Abby to search for the truth amidst a strange supernatural plot. From the historical photos with kites superimposed on them, complete with the hint at who assassinated JFK, it is clear the tone this film is attempting.
There are examples of hilarious films attempting to replicate bad movies, such as 2009’s Black Dynamite, yet that does not work in this instance. While moments of promise do arise, such as a backwards-cap-wearing character offering smart suggestions, these ideas are too one-note to ever take off. From the performances to the camera angles, each element feels too blatantly engineered and rarely interesting.
The lowest point is a recurring gag promoting Dale’s previous film, Sewer Gators, whose lack of an actual punchline leaves the inclusion feeling shameless. The biggest issue is how, while the idea would fit a fake trailer, the premise cannot sustain the 67-minute runtime. This leaves the swift runtime to feel unnecessarily lengthy, with the half-baked ending being the most troublesome hurdle to overcome. Despite the filmmakers’ aspirations, this feature feels made by bored teenagers who watch too much Adult Swim.
