PUSSYCAKE (2021) aka EMESIS [Grimmfest 2022 Review]

, ()
Directed by:
Written by: , , ,
Starring: , , , , ,

Pussycake

PUSSYCAKE (2021)
aka EMESIS
Spanish Language with English Subtitles
Screened at Grimmfest 2022

Girl rock band PussyCake turn up to their gig at an all-night rock club to find the bar shut and neighbourhood deserted. Upon locating promoter Simon, they realise that if they plan to play any more gigs in the future, they’re going to have to fight for their lives!

PUSSYCAKE puts its own spin on the zombie/infected genre with this survival horror comedy. After gateways into parallel worlds are opened by a concerned son of a scientist, parasitic aliens gain entry to Earth and attempt to turn everyone in the neighbourhood into a dribbling, walking corpse. When fresh blood rolls into town in the form of the all-girl rockers PussyCake, consisting of bassist Sofi, drummer Sara, guitarist Juli, singer Elle and band manager Pato, it seems the parasitic alien has some work to do to make sure no-one leaves unaffected!

PUSSYCAKE has fun with its survival story and isn’t afraid of spraying goo, milky drool and blood all over its cast members and sets. Fans of Shaun of the Dead and other light horror comedies will appreciate what the movie has to offer. It does have a smattering of intense gore to throw into the mix though this is a rare gift only doled out for those extra special moments.

The movie embraces a rough and ready approach as our heroines try to protect themselves and each other with whatever they can find, from blades, such as kitchen knives and machetes, to a crossbow. Though fighting infected residents isn’t the only thing they have to contend with. A clockwork rattle and heavy breathing heard in early scenes results in a steampunk-esque reveal which is initially exciting before the girls frustrate the situation, unable to see what’s in front of them and blinded by pure panic to save their own. On more than one occasion I found myself internally screaming at the screen in the hope that maybe they’ll realise what’s going on.

Its upbeat attitude makes PUSSYCAKE a lively splatter survival sci-fi horror that, at its heart, is all about love and friendship and the power that can give someone to fight for their life, regardless of the threat they have to overcome. Whilst the story is a little short on development as a whole, its relentless energy and spilling of copious amounts of bodily fluids does a lot to smooth over this fact for a fun-filled ride.

Rating: ★★★★★★½☆☆☆

Avatar photo
About Bat 4512 Articles
I love practical effects, stop-motion animation and gore, but most of all I love a good story! I adore B-movies and exploitation films in many of their guises and also have a soft spot for creature features. I review a wide range of media including movies, TV series, books and videogames. I'm a massive fan of author Hunter S. Thompson and I enjoy various genre of videogames with Kingdom Hearts and Harvest Moon two of my all time favs. Currently playing: The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt, Yakuza Zero and Mafia III.

Be the first to comment

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published.


*