The Tripper :: DVD Review

From the mind of David Arquette comes the 2006 film The Tripper. A highly entertaining political slasher film with an axe wielding Ronald Regan.

It stars Paul Reubens (yes, Pee-Wee), Jason Mews (Jay without Silent Bob), Thomas Jane (The Punisher), and Arquette himself making a cameo as well as many others. It's full of off beat characters and pretty good acting for what the plot required. The story sets up with a group of free loving hippies headed out to the woods to make love, do drugs and hug trees. Paul Reubens is their leader, guiding their peace festival. But there is another among them in the darkness, and he is... a republican. They begin to die one at a time, then in larger groups. There are clues left at the crime scene of the non-clothed albino redhead hippie's body. A black jelly bean (Regan's favorite some say) and this takes the Sheriff (Thomas Jane) to shut down the free spirited party goers event to try and save some lives. Easier said than done when a axe toting masked Regan and hundreds of acid tripping teens are loose in the woods.

What really made this movie memorable after it had ended is how Arquette handled the material. The way a slasher film was used as an allegory to talk about how our government has used and killed the seemingly clueless American population. Paul Reubens representing corporate America and all it's crooked back door dealings. The Sheriff was the common sense voice trying to save people from utter destruction. The masses never listen because they are to busy having sex with each other and getting high. Then a masked Regan representing the darkside of the government. Killing our own citizens, with the axe as a metaphor. The title is a reference to Regan's nickname, The Gipper.

The problem is I think most won't get this movie, it's above the norm for a slasher film. But I say great job Arquette, I really liked this movie. The gore and bloody special effects were of high quality, the movie had a budget and was not an indie film. The directing was nicely done, but I most liked the script. As quoted by Jason Mewes' character in the film "I love the president, he has balls the size of Texas. He knows how to tell the rest of the world fuck off and does what he wants".

Great film, highly recommended.