#17: Tucker & Dale vs. Evil (2010)
Tucker & Dale vs. Evil flips the script on the classic “creepy hillbillies in the woods” trope. Directed by Eli Craig, the film follows two kind-hearted buddies, Tucker and Dale, who have just bought their dream vacation cabin. Their peaceful getaway is ruined when a group of college kids shows up and mistakes them for murderous backwoods killers. What follows is a brilliant comedy of errors, as every attempt by Tucker and Dale to be helpful is misinterpreted as a terrifying threat, leading to a series of absurdly gory accidents. The movie cleverly plays with horror clichés, making the supposed heroes the villains and the “monsters” the most relatable guys in the story.
