Released in 2016, Another Evil follows artist Dan as he seeks out an exorcist to handle his ghost problem. The only issue is that the cure ends up being worse than the disease and Dan must find a way to rid himself of two unwelcome guests, one living and the other dead.
Another Evil acts as a fun mash-up of the exorcism and anti-comedy subgenres. Written and directed by Carson Mell, it has a clear grasp on the conventions of the genre. And that playfulness with tone Is what we’re looking at today.
What Movie Do Your Characters Think They’re In?
Too often the characters in a movie are genre-blind, especially in horror movies. We as the audience clock all these red-flags while they blithely carry on. They blunder from one set-piece to the next, and don’t realize what’s going on until half-way through.
Another Evil skips those issues on multiple fronts. First, our leads quickly realize they’re being haunted and go about finding solutions. They don’t waste time being oblivious or denying the reality of their situation. We are with them completely, which gets us aligned with them.
But things escalate when Os, our awful exorcist, overestimates the movie he’s in. Dan the artist and his ghosts are operating in a low-key hangout vibe in complete agreement. Os, meanwhile, thinks he needs to save the world and places himself as the hero in the sorts of narratives Hollywood likes to make. He thinks Dan has opened a gate to hell and his son has become a vessel for Satan. Action must be taken!
By making Os too genre-literate, the movie skips the usual issues with an idiot plot and subverts our expectations. Os trying to turn the situation into an over-the-top horror movie gives us our conflict while gets us to root for Dan bringing things back to proper tone alignment. The opposite of how these things usually work, as we wait for the characters to grok the seriousness of what’s going on.
Applying To Your Own Work
As your planning out your project, ask yourself what movie do your characters think they’re in. Also, whether they think they’re the hero, the antagonist, or someone else entirely. Humans are creatures who crave narrative. It’s how we make sense of the world, and a useful framework for shaping your characters. And by making unusual picks, you can find a new way to surprise the audience and give a jolt of freshness to your story.