Nerds That Geek Movie Review: ‘Chop Chop’

Written by John Edward Betancourt

Caution: This review of ‘Chop Chop’ contains spoilers.
​
For the most part, stories in general, tend to hold steadfast to the genre they reside within and it makes sense as to why. After all, the prevailing belief is that audiences expect what is advertised from a story, so taking the time to lead them in one direction genre wise, only to change things up, is believed to be quite disingenuous. Which is why movies continue to hang out within their intended genre, with only a few exceptions here and there. Because once in a while, a creative mind comes up with a story that can in fact, blend two worlds together in a seamless fashion. But even then, the story treads lightly with its genre fusion and usually goes a safe route in this experiment, by injecting a little comedy in a type of story that normally doesn’t feature it.

If anything, the entertainment industry’s desire to keep the status quo, genre wise, going really does beg some important questions. In that, is it at all possible to fuse together multiple genres in a story, and still be able to tell a compelling tale that keeps the viewer in their seat or glued to the page? Well the answer to those questions, is a resounding, yes, when all is said and done. It simply requires some serious care from the writer (or writers) and director and some incredible communication between them as well to make it a reality. But when it is done right, the end result is nothing short of spectacular and it just so happens that a motion picture that just hit video-on-demand; entitled Chop Chop, accomplishes this incredible feat in a smooth and engaging manner.

Because this particular film uses familiar tropes and structure to pull you into the story and lead you in a particular direction before outright surprising you with a genre shift, and the opening segment of this movie is a testament as to how well this works. Because early on, it seems as though we are about to be treated to a night of total terror. For a mysterious and bloodthirsty serial killer named Teddy decides that a loving couple named Chuck and Liv are going to be his next victims, and his supernatural powers will help him accomplish his gory goals and well, that’s when things take a turn for the interesting. For it turns out that this cute couple, have quite the sorted past, one that makes them lethal when given the opportunity and that’s bad news for Teddy and for them. Because now they are going to have to return to the underworld, they left behind in order to clean up their mess and that decision will bring them more trouble than it is worth.   

---

If anything, the decision to outright fool us and make us believe that we are about to indulge in a twisted home invasion nightmare is a brilliant one to say the least. Because it immediately invests you in the story, since you’re instantly curious as to how this couple is going to survive the night, and since you’re bracing for gore and scares, you absolutely don’t see the twist coming. But the wonder of this film goes beyond a mere 'surprise' moment. For the world that Chuck and Liv re-enter after dealing with Teddy is just as engaging and engrossing. For this seedy underworld plays host to its own surprises, the kind that keep you compelled to continue the journey to see if Chuck and Liv will survive their second tour through this maddening underworld.

But what truly makes this motion picture work, is the sheer fact that the shifts in genre here, are seamless to say the least. Because at no point do the changes to the story feel awkward or out of place. It’s all organic and it is all fascinating and really perhaps the best way to describe way to describe the fusion that takes place here is to call this motion picture a perfect blend of Natural Born Killers meets Pulp Fiction meets The Silence of the Lambs. Because familiar elements from all of those movies make an appearance here, with a bonus injection of Eli Roth’s Hostel for good measure at the end. But while it is wonderful to be able to deconstruct a fascinating structure, we’ve yet to answer the million-dollar question in regard to this movie, in that; is it any good? And the answer to that question is, yes. 

Because you simply have fun when watching this story, since you don’t have a clue where this story is going to take you. For nothing is ever quite what it seems and none of the characters are quite who you expect them to be and that makes for a delightful and engaging experience. One that holds your attention from beginning to end and even manages to put a smile on your face since it also sneaks a little comedy into the mix as well. Which means that this is a film that you should definitely check out when you have a little free time. In part because this one really has something for everyone, since it offers up a bevy of genres to enjoy. But more so because, you can never go wrong with a story that can outright surprise you. Especially in an era where formula is king.

‘Chop Chop’ is available on Amazon Prime and iTunes now.    

---