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Film: Hold the Fort
Year: 2025
Director: William Bagley
Writers: William Bagley and Scott Hawkins
Starring: Chris Mayers, Levi Burdick and Julian Smith
Review:
This is a film that I got the chance to see thanks to Justin Cook. He sent over a press release, along with the opportunity to view the screener. Since I enjoy checking out independent cinema, especially when building up my end of year list, I agreed. Now I did know a bit from the synopsis ahead of seeing this.
Synopsis: after moving to the suburbs, a young couple finds themselves trapped in an epic battle between their new HOA and an onslaught of monsters from hell.
We start this in a dark house. Mable (Devney Nixon) is there with her husband, Herbert Gruber (Mark Ashworth). He is wanting her to get ready. There’s a trunk of weapons. She laments that she thinks they should have sold the house when they had the chance. It is here that she reveals that she did contact the realtor. They just have to survive the night. Her husband states how he’s lived here his whole life. It is his family’s birthright to fight whatever is coming. The decision gets easier the next morning; he doesn’t make it. It is just a bloody Mabel.
It is from that we shift to meeting the couple who move into this house. This is where things are a bit unrealistic, as someone who has purchased a house, but I can overlook it for movie magic. Lucas (Chris Mayers) has moved in here with Jenny (Haley Leary). She’s unpacking while Lucas goes for a jog. He sees some odd things, like getting packages of ammunition. Their neighbors aren’t the friendliest but no one is outright rude either. When he returns home, there’s a bit of contention. Jenny is progressive in her views so living somewhere with a HOA isn’t her speed.
That’s when we meet the new head of this group, Jerry (Julian Smith). He invites the couple to a get together that they’re having at the clubhouse. It is dubbed Fort Gruber. Lucas agrees, drawing err from Jenny. Regardless of her being annoyed, they head there. It is here that we meet the other neighbors. Ones to point out are Ted (Levi Burdick) and his wife, Annette (Michelle I Lamb). He’s a bit aggressive and she offers Jenny moonshine. We also have Leslie (Tordy Clark), who does hard drugs. There’s a reason why. We also have Marcus (Luke Michael Williams).
Things get weird with the statements that are being made. There is a raffle for a shotgun that Lucas wins. He finds this quite odd. Jenny drunkenly volunteers him to be the one who removes weapons from a trunk that we saw in possession of Herbert.
Our couple hasn’t read the HOA welcome document so they don’t have any idea of what is going on. It turns out that near this fort; there’s a hell hole. Once a year, monsters escape and the residents have to do battle. It is here that we meet McScruffy (Hamid-Reza Benjamin Thompson), a mercenary hired to lead the fight. When he gets injured, the group needs to step up and improvise if they’re going to survive the night.
That is where I’ll leave my recap and introduction to the characters. Where I’m going to start is that I had a lot of fun with this film. It is a horror comedy. It is absurd at times. Something else that I need to bring up here is that it feels like a video game. The backstory and the premise are good. I do think that it falls a bit short with the execution. My guess is that is due to budgetary reasons. Again, this is one to shut off your brain and roll with it.
Now that I have that set up, I love what they’re doing here with playing with expectations. My wife, Jaime, and I have lived in a condo and now the house that we built where we have an HOA. There is the connotation about how they’re pointless and just make things more difficult. I will say, for our house, what we pay is more responsible. It was annoying to get approval for any updates. I bring this up because this is setting up how the concept of a HOA is frustrating. There is a good reason for this one and it includes survival.
Shifting to the neighborhood residents, I should note that I typically prefer a balanced blend of comedy and horror. While this film leans more toward comedy, the characters are a highlight. Jerry is an amusingly pleasant president with a sarcastic streak and a perfect grasp of the handbook. Ted provides a meaner contrast by demanding strict compliance, while his wife, Annette, feels more grounded. In contrast, Marcus, Leslie, and McScruffy are enjoyably over-the-top, quirky additions to the cast.
I should then include our main couple then as well. Lucas is someone who avoids giving all the information that is needed to Jenny. She’s more particular but we see that she gets accepted into the group faster. Lucas also isn’t a manly man. He is resistant to helping this group. Part of it is fear and not understanding what is happening. There’s a good hero arch for him. Jenny from the start is more resilient and I appreciate this dynamic of the duo. Credit to Mayers and Leary for their performances.
Regarding the horror elements, the results are hit or miss, though generally positive. I appreciate the concept of a portal to hell and the conspiracy-like backstory of how the residents pass down the knowledge and weapons needed for battle. However, the film sometimes focuses on less compelling creatures rather than more interesting ones like the Stick Man (Oliver Kasiske). A darker tone would have made the experience even more enjoyable.
The film explores the absurdity of suburbia, where a dark secret necessitates using HOA funds for a weapons cache. It takes the "gated community" concept to a lethal extreme, portraying an isolated environment where no outside help is coming. Themes of conformity versus individuality highlight that community adherence is a matter of survival. Furthermore, the narrative peels back a mask of politeness to reveal the cruelty and ruthlessness required to endure when situations escalate.
I’ll then take this to the acting performances. I’ve given credit to our leads, Mayers and Leary. I will say again that they fit perfectly for the tone needed. The sarcasm from Jenny is appreciated. Smith is good in his role. What I like is that the outside knowledge makes us dislike him. How overly polite the character just takes it to another level. Burdick is good in his role along with Thompson. Credit as well to Ashworth, Clark, Lamb, Williams and the rest of the cast. They fit what was needed.
Breaking down the filmmaking, the cinematography and framing effectively capture the contrast between the idyllic suburbs and the dark secrets revealed at night. While the supernatural battle scenes and practical effects are impressive—featuring a satisfying amount of blood—some creature designs deserve more screentime, and the CGI is less consistent. Ultimately, the music and sound design appropriately complement the film's atmosphere.
In conclusion, this is an entertaining and absurd horror-comedy that successfully satirizes the tropes of suburbia by blending the frustrations of HOA politics with supernatural survival. While the film faces some budget-related inconsistencies with CGI and creature screen time, it delivers on its promise through strong performances, particularly from the leads, and a clever, high-stakes premise. For those looking to switch off and enjoy a bloody, character-driven ride, it is a recommended watch for fans of independent genre cinema.
My Rating: 7 out of 10