by Henry Pham
Penny Lane Is Dead is an 88-minute Australian dark-comedy-horror movie set in Australia in the summer of 1986. It follows the titular character as she celebrates getting into college with her longtime girlfriends, Toni and Amy. The night, however, does not turn out as planned. After Penny’s jealous and troubled cousin Kat decides a cruel prank is in order, what begins as a thoughtless spiked cupcake game spirals into a night of bloodshed.
The story relies heavily on the themes of drugs, social acceptance, love, betrayal, and survival, with the cast members infusing their performances with drama, vulnerability, and rage. While the unknown actress Bailey Spalding leads the film as Penny Lane, a trio of well-known actors are top-billed – here we have Alexandra Jensen (Talk to Me), Steve Le Marquand (Seven Network’s Home and Away), and Ben O’Toole (Hacksaw Ridge, 12 Strong). In addition, Sophia Wright-Mendelsohn and Tahlee Fereday also appeared in the film as Kat and Toni.
In addition to writing the script, Mia-kate Russell got her big break as a film director in Penny Lane Is Dead. Her first short film, Auditioning Fanny, starring Sam Johnson, won Best Short Film at the Phenom Film Festival (2012). She followed this with Swallow, which received multiple awards for FX Makeup. This film stands out for its ability to reignite interest in the horror genre. While the cinematography is solid, the film’s unsettling and graphic scenes form the core of its narrative.
These moments are both visually striking and central to the story. However, the 88-minute runtime results in slow pacing and predictable plot holes, which is underwhelming. The film pays clear homage to 1980s horror, offering a refreshing alternative to classic horror entries that feel overcrowded. The balance between dark humor and violence is well executed, and the soundtrack by Pascal Babare and Chiara Costanza effectively evokes the 1980s setting. While the plot fails to replicate the originality of any horror masterpieces, the cast and crew demonstrate a strong understanding of the genre.
Despite strong performances and effective 1980s homages, Penny Lane Is Dead ultimately feels underwhelming. The plot twists are predictable, and some scenes intended to be eerie lack relevance to the main story. The film is challenging to watch, even for dedicated horror fans. While the horror-comedy execution is solid, the ending is confusing and suggests a possible sequel without providing sufficient context. I’m not a huge fan of horror movies, but this looks interesting per se. If you choose to watch Penny Lane Is Dead, please be mindful that its graphic content may not be suitable for children.
Comments