Hanky Panky opens up with a man running in a field of snow. Bright blue opening credits slap the screen, identical to the iconic title sequence from The Shining . The man brings out his phone in hopes of finding a signal, only to be murdered by a mysterious being. Who – or what – could that possibly be?
Directed by Nick Roth and Lindsay Haun, Hanky Panky throws its audience into a wild ride of comedy and horror about a lonesome man named Sam ( Jacob DeMonte-Finn) and his talking napkin, Woody (Toby Byran). Sam mistakenly receives an invitation to a retreat at a deserted cabin in the snow. He’s socially awkward and would much rather converse with his trusted napkin “friend” than a human being. But now, he is thrust into a situation where he must speak to people he barely knows”¦ including an evil hat named Harry (voiced by the talented Seth Green).
If you want a drug-induced horror and comedy whodunnit, this is the movie for you. It’s slapstick and it’s crude but its biggest highlight is the comedic timing of its ensemble cast.
There’s Diane (Ashley Holliday Tavares), whose eccentric take as a woman who fancies Sam is a delight to watch. We’ve also got the bickering couple, Carla (Christina Laskay) and Cliff (Anthony Rutowicz), Cliff’s artistic brother, Dr. Crane (played by Roth himself), and his wife Lilith (Azure Parsons). Like many horror movies, of course there are a set of bizarre twins, Rebecca (played by director Humman) and Norm (Bryan). Lastly, there’s the peculiar neighbour Kelly (Clare Grant), who joins the cabin crew with cookies and a bright smile.
The characters and their amusing interactions help solidify the comedy aspect of the film. Carla always sports a glass of wine in her hand and takes jabs at not only her husband, but at Sam. There’s a sequence where Cliff opens up about his feelings for Carla and imagines himself in a therapy session while tripping on shrooms with Diane. Napkin Woody’s crude humour about getting aroused by the thought of cleaning up messes (whether that be someone’s or something’s), is comical. There’s a four-minute fight sequence between him and Harry the Hat, with transitions out of an anime. Here. the horror is slapstick which works with the humour to make it outrageously silly but still entertaining.
Whilst the film has its outlandish moments, it carries a surprising level of sincerity. The power of friendship is an underlying theme within, showcased via Sam as he learns to open up to complete strangers, placing his trust in them. His bond with Woody is both amusing and heartfelt, they’re loyal to each other. Proving Woody is a true friend, he’s the one to warn Sam that there’s a lot more happening within the cabin than it seems.
Perhaps this wacky comedy horror is not for everyone, but if you want something that isn’t afraid to get bizarre in splicing the two genres, then this fun ride would be for you.
Hanky Panky is available on Apple TV, Amazon Prime, Fandago at Home and more.
