DON'T MESS WITH GRANDMA
Starring: Michael Jai White, Jackie Richardson, Billy Zane, Miles Faber, Ess Hodlmoser, Rebecca Auerbach, Evan Stern, Emily Alatalo, and Brandon Knox
Director: Jason Krawczyk
This film has been reviewed by Paige, Nick, and Quentin as part of Bitesize Breakdown's coverage of the 2024 Fantastic Film Festival.
QUENTIN
As a huge fan of Michael Jai White’s Black Dynamite, as well as a somewhat ironic fan of Billy Zane, I went into Don’t Mess with Grandma hoping for a tongue-in-cheek, B-movie takedown of home invasion movies, which has become a pretty stale genre. To its credit, Grandma is exactly that; however, it’s almost too B-movie. Aside from a completely game White and Zane, the rest of the performances are rough, and the low-budget trappings and cheap veneer consistently pulled me out of the film. I didn’t hate it — in fact, I’d love to see it remade with a bigger budget — but Black Dynamite, it ain’t.
NICK
Every movie serves a purpose. Some are awards contenders, some VFX marvels, and some are just there to turn your mind off and have fun. Don't Mess with Grandma (aka Sunset Superman) is just mindless dumb fun. Michael Jai White (a real life badass) gets to play a different type of tough guy, and it's a role that suits him well. There’s some rough dialogue in the early going, but as we move away from conversation and into the ridiculous mayhem, the film finds its sweet spot. It’s goofy, sure, but it kept me entertained throughout.
PAIGE
Unfortunately, Don’t Mess With Grandma’s only redeeming quality is Michael Jai White’s rugged charisma. Though some may find this low-budget home invasion flick to be a comedic gem, I found it to be too ridiculously corny for its own good. The editing is jagged, and the majority of the action sequences are rough to watch. Ultimately, the film lacks the balance necessary to impress me because it mostly relies on a particular brand of humor. It’s one of those dumb albeit fun slapstick movies I’d recommend throwing on in the background when you’re doing other things.