Killing Poe

Killing Poe is a dark comedy film released in 2016, masterfully directed by Nathan Andrew Jacobs. Acclaimed actors such as Osric Chau, best known for his role in Supernatural, Matt Bush from Adventureland, and Julianna Guill, recognized from Friday the 13th, lead the cast and bring a unique blend of humor, adventure, and mystery to life.

The plot of Killing Poe revolves around the grievances of five college students who find themselves locked in a battle of wits and survival against their despotic English professor, Professor Samsa. The oppressive teacher, played by Suanne Spoke, is a rigid disciplinarian with an unnerving obsession with Edgar Allan Poe, the legendary American writer known for his mastery of mystery and macabre. His students are left entangled in a web of Samsa's deep-rooted infatuation with Poe, and they each need to pass his class to graduate.

The five students – Billings (Osric Chau), Jocks (Matt Bush), Lindsay (Julianna Guill), Brandon (Cyrus Arnold), and Moocher (Chris Chee) – are a reflection of the diverse elements of campus society. They are as different as chalk and cheese, yet they are bound by a shared disdain for their fearsome professor and a common goal – to graduate. Samsa's obsession with Poe manifests itself in creative forms of pedagogical torture, most notably through assigning a ten-page essay on Poe that forebodes academic ruin if failed.

Faced with such dire prospects, the students humorously hatch a plan to murder Professor Samsa. The film, however, does not promote actual violence. Instead, it delves into a realm where fantasy merges with reality and where the thin line between sanity and madness is blurred. The story is interwoven with elements of Poe's iconic narratives that gives the plot an excitingly sinister edge.

Killing Poe cleverly combines Poe-like chills with an absurdist comedy vibe. Along with delivering a steady stream of chuckles and some belly laughs, the plot also provides some genuinely tense moments when Poe's stories wonderfully merge with the main plotline to create a fantastical narrative. Samsa's manic devotion to Poe's stories lends the story an unpredictable quality, around which the students must tread with caution. After all, Poe was known for his tales of unexpected twists, madness, and death.

The movie illustrates the struggles college students often face; bottle-necked by the pressure of graduation, the fear of failure, the complexities of academic politics, and the questionable teaching methods of a psychologically unstable professor. Jacobs pairs these hard truths of college life seamlessly with humor and the grotesque elements of Poe's tales to create a narrative that is entirely unique and captivating.

As the students' plan unfolds, the movie takes delightful, eerie turns. Audience cannot help but empathize with the students, root for them at the edge of their seats, and derive enjoyment from the roller coaster of emotions that the film delivers.

Critical reception for Killing Poe has generally been favorable, with critics praising the film's unique meld of dry humor and Gothic horror. The performances of Osric Chau, Matt Bush, and Julianna Guill received particular plaudits, as the trio managed to strike a compelling, believable dynamic that served as the driving force of the film.

Killing Poe can be seen as an underappreciated gem, a satirical exploration of the American education system, with equal parts humor, horror, and exhilarating suspense. Through its eccentric characters, comedic drama, and suspenseful narrative, it pays homage to the literary genius of Poe and holds an unflinching mirror to the captivating life on an American campus.

In the tradition of truly creative filmmakers, Jacobs doesn't use Poe as a gimmick but as a tool to enhance both character development and plot progression, producing an experience that is delightfully entertaining, fascinatingly intricate, and, above all, multilayered storytelling at its finest.

In summary, Killing Poe is a film that dares to be different, offering a smart, hilarious, and eerie confluence of comedy, drama, and horror that leaves audiences thrilled, horrified, and entertained in equal measure.