Idle Hands (1999)

Despite all the pot-smoking in Idle Hands, the message here seems to be that too many bong hits will take you on a one-way trip to the devil's playground. That's what happens to Anton (Devon Sawa), a wasted teen who's so perpetually zonked on weed that he doesn't notice his parents have been slaughtered by an evil force that then possesses Anton's right hand, taking on a wildly homicidal life of its own after Anton chops it off with a butcher knife. The first victims are Anton's pals Mick (teen-movie stalwart Seth Green), who gets a beer bottle embedded in his skull, and Pnub (Elden Henson), whose head is lopped off by a rotary saw blade, and later reattached with a barbecue fork and duct tape. (Did we mention that Mick and Pnub turn into undead jokesters? It's that kind of movie.) This unoriginal idea is little more than an excuse for gross-out effects and easy one-liners, and then Vivica A. Fox appears as the demon-buster who knows how to kill the hand once and for all. It's fun to a point, and certain to be a popular Halloween hit with its intended teenage audience, but you can't help wishing this movie had tried harder to be something more than a collection of crude and gory gags. --Jeff Shannon Amazon.com

Idle Hands, early Jessica Alba film, teenage slaughter film

Idle hands is a poorly made teenage serial killer film, in which a slacker teenager's hand is possessed and kills other teenagers. Jessica Alba has a small part as a girlfriend. Skip this film June 13, 2008

amazing horror/comedy

I remember seeing this movie when it first came out. This movie did a great job in the comedy/horror genre. It has good jokes, great dark humor, and still keeps an essence of creepiness and horror elements. Jessica Alba is amazing, Devon Sawa is really convincing, and Seth Green & Elden Henson are funny "side kicks". Good one liners, still keeping that horror element like I said. Story is lacking a little bit, but still worth 5stars May 1, 2008

Be careful, man, some of 'em are guys

IDLE HANDS is a movie that I remember always being on the USA Network when I was really young, and I remember it was a sick movie. It still is, but now older (but not wiser), I see this movie for how it should be seen: a twisted little gem that turns the Dawson's Creek world inside out. Yes, SCREAM did it too, but for some reason, the way IDLE HANDS shows us a guy that loves the girl next door and has two dumb buddies like every bad teen movie ever makes the fact that the movie is about a stoner that kills his parents and best friends (who come back as freaking zombies) with his possessed right hand (hi, Ash) so much sweeter. Yes, maybe I'm reading too much into it, but this movie really is underrated in my opinion. It has great music (especially The Offspring's version of The Ramones' I WANNA BE SEDATED), a clever script, great performances (especially by Seth Green & Elden Henson as the zombified buddies Mick and Pnub, who didn't walk up the stairway to Heaven because "it was too far"), and sly direction by Rodman Flender, who has done TALES FROM THE CRYPT episodes, which at times this movie shares its tone with. Overall, IDLE HANDS is great for horror fans that like their horror with a wink and a nod, and it even throws in some unnecessary nudity, just like the good ol' days. March 31, 2007

For camp fans only

The problem with this movie and its poor reviews is tat it's being reviewed by the wrong people. This movie is absolutely not for people who watch the Academy Awards or go to arthouse film festivals. This movie is sleazy, campy and cheesy.

It's a hybrid of the classic stoner comedy and the slasher flick genres. Think Dude, Where's My Car? meets Evil Dead. The plot is expendable, but the the dialogue is well written for the characters and the humor is funny more often than not.

In addition to the humor, there is some good blood effects. Really, this is a well executed horror/comedy. If you're under the age of 25 and appreciate camp, this film is for you. January 28, 2007

Do you have a sense of humor???

This movie was funny! If your looking for deep meaningful content, watch something from the drama section. A classic B movie has a thin plot, unrealistic villians, lots of gore, cheap sex and is meant to be watched while drinking beer. This movie is all of the above and more. If you are going to be tormented by the souls of the undead, Seth Green and his pal are the ones you would want because at least they would bring chips and a cooler of beer. Because, "Hey, your dead for a long time!"
June 23, 2006

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