Hold the Fort might be short on runtime, but it’s stacked with energy, absurdity, and enough blood-soaked laughs to make it a real contender for future Halloween rotation. Clocking in at just 74 minutes, this horror-comedy from director William Bagley (The Murder Podcast) wastes no time getting weird—and it’s all the better for it.
At the center of the chaos are Lucas and Jenny, a couple thrilled to finally own their dream home—until they discover it comes with a hellish twist: a war between their Homeowners Association and actual monsters from hell. Yes, you read that right. And yes, it’s as wild as it sounds.
What follows is a genre-blending spectacle that’s gleefully unhinged. From slapstick gags to vulgar one-liners, the humor varies in tone but lands more often than not. Even the jokes that don’t hit still manage to charm with their audacity. Think Evil Dead II energy filtered through a satirical lens about suburban nightmares. This is what Black Friday wanted to be, but Hold the Fort actually pulls it off—with more style and less smugness.
Julian Smith, best known for his YouTube comedy roots, returns to the screen with a bang. It’s genuinely fun to see him back, especially in a film that leans so hard into its own ridiculousness. The entire cast, including Chris Mayers (Ozark) and Haley Leary (The Out-Laws), commits to the madness completely, and that total buy-in helps elevate even the most bonkers moments.
While it may take a few scenes to win over skeptics, it absolutely earns its stripes by the end. I found myself laughing hard, clapping along, and thinking: this is exactly the kind of movie you throw on with a group of friends, a few drinks, and no expectations. Because once you surrender to its chaos, Hold the Fort delivers.
It might not reinvent the genre, but it doesn’t have to. It knows exactly what it is—a loud, bloody, funny-as-hell ride—and it sticks the landing. A hidden gem for horror-comedy lovers and a potential cult classic in the making. Watch it loud, watch it with friends, and hold the damn fort.
Jessie Hobson