Suck (2009) User Reviews (47)

Suck doesn't suck

[Quebec_Dragon · 6/10 · 30 July 2010]

That's what the director (and lead actor) was afraid of in the question and answer session after the theater showing at Montreal Fantasia Festival. What if his movie called "Suck" sucked ? Well it doesn't but it's not that great either. I'm not quite sure it's an humorous alternative for Twilight fans either (or people sick of it) as they're two very different beasts. Suck is a rock horror comedy with vampires. The only female of an unsuccessful band gets turned into a vampire and the band then starts gaining success because of her very charismatic presence. We see the band travelling from city to city, trying to deal with their changed band mate while being tempted themselves by the dark side.

Jessica Paré, the actress playing the female band member, is mesmerizing to look at with her white skin, pale blue eyes and red lips. One could understand the fascination she would create. The other highlight of this film are the roles played by famous musicians such as Alice Cooper and Iggy Pop. They're a bit longer and juicier than cameos but although they play well, they basically play themselves and nothing particularly challenging (except for Moby, a pacifist vegan in a surprising performance). I admit the crowd reacted very well to the film but a Fantasia crowd is quite generous with this kind of genre film, especially a Canadian one. I personally found it sometimes amusing but not hilarious except for a few bits (one of them being a visit to a convenience store).

Suck's writing did not impress me as it often felt too easy or cliché. The low-budget production had a Canadian and straight-to-DVD flavor to it. From a technical standpoint, it was quite bland with too many cuts from one head to another in dialogue scenes often making it feel as if the two actors were not even in the same place. The spinning vampire and the crossroads showed a bit more inspiration. The several musical numbers felt as if they were there to pad the thin story. To be fair, the original songs were rather good but it sometimes made this comedy skirt too close to the musical genre, something I'm personally allergic to unless Tim Burton is somewhat involved. I think "Suck" would be a decent rental provided you have a few friends to watch it with interested in the subject material and/or knowing the (in)famous guest stars. I think young Twilight fans, perhaps sucked into renting it because of vampires, might be disappointed because the vampires are lame (they have powers but not really shown) and the little romance there is kinda sucks as either serious or parody.

Rating : 6 out of 10 (good)

Eclectic, Electric, and Fun

[rookslayer · 7/10 · 9 October 2010]

What a great ride! Suck is one of those movies that will put you in a good mood. Jessica Pare is mesmerizing as a vampire, you will find yourself unable to break eye contact with her in some of her scenes. The makeup is done in the vein of the original Dawn of the Dead, giving the vampires a graphic novel look and feel. The humor is akin to Shaun of the Dead and rarely misses. I found myself laughing all the way through the movie, something I can't often say with many of today's comedies. The cameos by the old school rockers were awesome and contributed immensely to the production. The music-videos-in-a-movie format works well and almost makes you feel like you're back in the day when MTV was actually MUSIC television. There is one song performed by Jessica Pare that is quite touching, in my humble opinion. The director's conservative use of ever so slightly slowed movement is hypnotic. I know my comments may not seem like they were written for a film like 'Suck', but that's why I feel it's so eclectic, and it so works.

A Refreshing Vampire and Rock 'n' Roll Cult Movie

[claudio_carvalho · 7/10 · 19 February 2011]

In Montreal, Joey (Rob Stefaniuk) is the lead singer of the struggling band "The Winners", composed by the sexy bass singer Jennifer (Jessica Paré), the guitarist Tyler (Paul Anthony), the drummer Sam (Mike Lobel) and the handyman Hugo (Chris Ratz). Their incompetent and alcoholic manager Jeff (Dave Foley) is incapable to help them to reach success and they are on the road on tour playing in clubs and bars in Canada and United States of America.

After a show in a bar in Montreal, Jennifer, who is also the Joey's former girlfriend, leaves the place with the creepy Queeny (Dimitri Coats), who is a vampire, and they spend the night together. On the next morning, Jennifer does not meet the band and they travel in their hearse to participate in a rock 'n' roll show without her. In the last moment, Jennifer arrives with a different appearance and on the next day they find that their home page had had several hits, all of them with good reviews and compliments to Jennifer. They become famous and Jennifer brings great audiences to the shows of "The Winners" and one by one, the musicians are turned into vampires but the reluctant Joey. "The Winners" become successful and Joey has a dream where he meets the bartender (Alice Cooper) of their show in Montreal in a crossroad and the man tells that he needs to decide whether he wants to be a winner or a loser. Meanwhile the vampire hunter Eddie Van Helsing (Malcolm McDowell) is hunting the vampire queen and tracking "The Winners" in their shows.

"Suck" is a refreshing vampire and rock 'n' roll cult movie with cameo of Alice Copper, Iggy Pop, Moby and Henry Rollins. But the greatest attraction is the sexy and gorgeous Jessica Paré with her luxurious lips and beautiful eyes. Chris Ratz is hilarious in the role of the handyman Hugo and Malcolm McDowell has also a great performance. But the originality of the story makes this film a worthwhile entertainment. My vote is seven.

Title (Brazil): Not Available

Suck

[Scarecrow-88 · 7/10 · 2 October 2010]

Candy-colored(particular emphasis on blood red)cinematography and a bang up cast highlight this vampire satire on the travails of an ailing Canadian rock band, struggling still after ten years on the road, rejuvenated when one among them is turned into a bloodsucker after a gig one night.

Joey's base guitarist(and ex-girlfriend), Jennifer(Jessica Paré), decides to accompany a "queen vampire" to a party which is essentially a gathering of the undead, decadently attired as if from the Victorian period. When Jennifer returns a vamp, the band's stage show actually attracts a fervent following, word of mouth about them spreading across the internet like a firestorm.

Well, soon members of the band(Paul Anthony and Mike Lobel)coerce Jennifer into turning them into vampires as well hurling Joey(Rob Stefaniuk, the writer, director, and star who also wrote most of the music!)into a crisis as numerous victims start turning up while on their road tour to New York City for the "big show", supposedly to contain "movers and shakers" who might can finally give them some much needed success.

Alice Cooper(as a vampire bartender who attempts to convince Joey that vampirism is the way to go), Iggy Pop(as a tired former rocker, whose studio Joey uses to record Jennifer's new song she has written, warning of the dangers to come for this band), Henry Rollins(as an insulting, loud-mouthed, self-absorbed DJ who speaks of himself in the Third person and belittles bands who enter his radio station paying the price for his rudeness)and Dave Foley(KIDS IN THE HALL; as the band's manager who dumps them, a leech who returns, of course, once they gain a reputation)all have supporting parts which will draw interest to SUCK from horror fans. Moby, of all people, portrays the lead singer of "the biggest road band in Buffalo", the "Confederates of Steak", whose devoted fans pelt their stage at shows with bloody meat(!), an egotistical and foul type of wannabe rock god who doesn't ingratiate himself to the Winners(the name of Joey's band)with much class. His fate is more than a bit ironic considering the persona of his band. Malcolm McDowell, as Eddie Van Helsing(Hell yeah!), is good fun as a vampire hunter(afraid of the dark!)with an eye patch following the Winners so he can question the whereabouts of the one who turned Jennifer, Dimitri Coats(known simply as Queeny), responsible for supposedly killing his gal back in the 70s.

Some funny dialogue derives from munching on body parts(and a groupie!)and blood sucking, not to mention the unfortunate trials of life on the road with a band who have become weary after a long time of disappointment. Some interesting art direction and stop motion animation; a superb neck slashing and the use of a guitar to impale a vampire(!)are included. To tell you the truth, SUCK is mostly a series of music videos, shot in slow motion and bright colors, intercut with dialogue scenes. My favorite scene, which doesn't involve Cooper or Pop, is the hallucinatory music number where Joey falls under the spell of "magic pills". The names in the cast aren't just throwaway cameos which is nice, and they actually contribute even more on the interview documentary of the film on it's DVD. Paré is striking even in pale skin and strange eye contacts, often shot in slo-mo up close to capture her allure and Gothic beauty. Coats, albeit in a smaller part, is quite a creepy presence when he does appear on screen.

Punk-Goth-rock fans will appreciate it more

[RogerB-P3RV3 · 5/10 · 23 September 2012]

star-writer-songwriter-director Rob Stefaniuk's comedy horror about vampires and a music band coming together in a clash of mockery and rock and roll.

The plot partly derived from Bram Stoker's Dracula. When bass player Jennifer (appropriately pale Jessica Paré) turns into a vampire after bitten by one it actually transforms a lousy band into a popular act due to her sudden seductive outlook and musical prowess. The group soon discovers the truth about her. They make a pact with Jennifer to stop murdering folks for blood and not to harm either of them. But the temptation of hunger is nothing compared to her band members desperation for success. Hot on their musical tours is Eddie Van Helsing (Malcolm McDowell) tracking down the leader of Nosferatu.

Surprisingly appealing songs (sung by the characters themselves) & cameos by some of hard rock's luminaries includes Alice Cooper & Iggy Pop (Victor) saves the Canadian cheapie from mediocrity.

Maybe the Punk-Goth-rock fans will appreciate it more. Try to spot references to famous musical montages and albums covers.

Dracula meets Tenacious D

[nagarajan-karan · 7/10 · 9 September 2010]

The movie is basically about a rock and roll band ready to do anything for fame and success. Thats what the Plot summary read, and the first thing that popped into my mind was Tenacious D. The band is cute, and totally a local act in Montreal, until the bassie gets turned to a vampire. Which leads the band on a highway to hell, with murders to cover up, and gigs to perform. Most of the musical references made are hilarious and also serve as a modern day salute to the previous generation.

Alice Cooper and Iggy PoP out do themselves in the movie, in fact Alice's cameo in Wayne's World also was brilliant. Suck delivers and The Winners are an easily likable band, the movie is fast and to call it a musical also wouldn't be wrong. The song 'This is your Brain on Drugs' is surprisingly hilarious, and its physchedelic and trippy. All the characters share a good on screen chemistry and Eddie Van Helsing is just plain Hilarious.

On the whole, for all punk rock lovers out there, Henry Rollins as Rockin' Rogers is a must watch/listen too.

Suck it and see..

[BA_Harrison · 5/10 · 14 July 2013]

After ten years on the road without success, rock band The Winners are on the verge of splitting up. Their luck changes, however, after Jennifer (Jessica Paré), the band's sexy female vocalist, falls victim to a vampire and becomes a member of the undead, drawing in the crowds with her supernatural stage presence. Pretty soon, the other members of the band are joining the ranks of the undead in their bid for fame and fortune.

It's a brave move to call your movie Suck, such a title inviting the obvious derogatory comment from those who don't quite appreciate your vision. Thankfully, Rob Stefaniuk's offbeat musical vampire road movie should avoid such harsh criticism from the majority of viewers: although it doesn't quite achieve the cult brilliance it so clearly strives for and some of the comedy falls flat, the fun cast (which includes rock stars Alice Cooper, Iggy Pop, Henry Rollins and Moby) and some surprisingly good songs make this moderately entertaining for the duration.

Rock 'n roll vampire musical comedy road movie

[larry-411 · 8/10 · 25 September 2009]

I attended the World Premiere of "Suck" at the 2009 Toronto International Film Festival. To simply say that this film is an original hybrid of genres doesn't do it justice. I'd label it a rock 'n roll vampire musical comedy road movie. Talk about a unique concept.

Writer/director/composer/lead actor Rob Stefaniuk has crafted a work of pure genius. The basic premise is simple: rock band The Winners, like most small-town acts, will do whatever it takes to make it in the music world. They stumble upon an "interesting" formula and hit the road.

The catch here is that the technique comes via bandmate Jennifer (Jessica Paré), who picked up something while carousing with a visiting rock band that gives them powers you just don't get from Red Bull.

The mind-boggling ensemble cast features such diverse icons as Malcolm McDowell and Dave Foley to rock legends including Alice Cooper, Henry Rollins, Moby, Iggy Pop, and Alex Lifeson. There aren't just cameos, either.

Even with its stellar cast, "Suck" is still story-driven and filled with gutbusting humor. The script guarantees a gag on every page. Production values belie the film's relatively small budget with topnotch visual and special effects that just wowed me. Michele Conroy's rapid-fire editing picks up the already fast pace of the action and never lets up. But the soundtrack makes the movie. Kickass music infuses the film in segments that could function as standalone videos or strung together to make a concert movie. The fact that most of the musicians/characters (led by director Rob Stefaniuk) actually wrote, play, and sing their own songs is a big plus, to say the least.

Suck doesn't

[rooprect · 7/10 · 27 October 2012]

I'll skip the review of the regular stuff and jump right to what makes this movie unique. First off, we get a parade of cameos from legendary alt-rockers We have Alice Cooper as the headmaster vampire (not far from his real life persona), Iggy Pop as a hopelessly old school studio engineer, Henry Rollins as a hilarious loud mouthed DJ, Alex Lifeson (guitarist extraordinaire for Rush) as a creepy border crossing guard, Carole Pope (80s punk icon) as a club bouncer, Moby as an arrogant rival band singer, and who knows, probably a few more I missed.

"Suck" relies on these cameos to give the audience a little wink. So if you're unfamiliar with these people, you might miss out. It's never too late to look them up on youtube though. There are other little inside jokes too; for example, there are a number of visual homages to famous album covers (if nothing else, you'll recognize Abbey Road). Digging deeper, there are funny ironies such as Moby playing a character named "Beef" whose gimmick is to play with raw meat on stage. In real life, Moby is a strict vegan... and it's hilariously obvious that the "raw meat" is nothing more than some strips of rubber with red food dye.

A lot of this stuff comes at you fast, and even the most hardcore fans will probably miss a few gags. So don't worry if you have to watch the movie multiple times.

OK, all that aside, the story itself is pretty basic but with an interesting metaphorical spin to it. As other reviewers have pointed out, it's not a movie about vampires as much as it's about the vices of success... whether we're talking about drugs, glamour, or "selling out". How far will a struggling musician go to win fame? And at what cost? That's basically the only serious part of the film, and the rest is totally tongue-in-cheek. Don't expect realism. In its place expect absurdist humor (such as the fact that nobody gets caught for murdering people in the open, or live on national radio). Again, this may be a metaphor for the fact that many famous musicians never got caught for their extravagant drug habits even though they flaunted it in public. With that in mind, "Suck" becomes a biting satire of not just the fame-seeking rock stars, but also of the mindless fans who will condone and glorify anything.

I saved one of the best performances for last. Malcom McDowell plays an ominous character with a fetish for flashlights. He brings his usual larger-than-life presence to the screen but with a nice comedic air. Check out the outtakes on the DVD and you'll see that he had a great time playing the part.

Even if you have no idea who some of these famous cult musicians are, you'll still find the movie entertaining, funny & interesting from start to finish. Similar films include the Australian flick "Garage Days" by Alex Proyas, "Thunderstruck" (about a bunch of AC/DC obsessed fans), and on the more serious side, "Sympathy for Delicious" which tells a great rock'n'roll metaphor.

But like I said up front, this film's power lies in its ability to connect with "cult audiences" using cameo appearances to create quirky characters. In that respect I'd compare it to "Coffee and Cigarettes" by Jim Jarmusch (featuring Iggy Pop, Tom Waits, The White Stripes, etc). If you recognize at least 50% of the people I've mentioned, then don't hesitate to see this flick.

This one invites the obvious 2-word review...

[MrGKB · 4/10 · 17 April 2011]

...and, pretty much, "It does," despite its probable best of intentions. Writer/director/co-star, Rob "Phil the Alien" Stefaniuk, has simply bitten off far more than he or his co-star, Jessica "Wicker Park" Paré , are able to chew, let alone digest. Despite the presence of rock'n'roll notables like Alice Cooper (and daughter, Calico), Iggy Pop, Carole (Rough Trade) Pope, Henry Rollins, Moby, Alex Lifeson, and comedian, Dave "The Kids in the Hall" Foley, along with yet another paycheck-grabbing appearance by Malcolm "Cat People" McDowell, this purported rock'n'roll horror comedy is virtually bereft of horror, sadly emasculated vis-a-vis rock'n'roll (most of the music is lame in the extreme), and at best mediocre in terms of comedy. Mr. Stefaniuk is a likable enough whitebread lead, and Ms. Paré shows promise; in fact, I don't particularly fault the acting at all. It's the script & storytelling that fall flat on their face. The album cover homages are mildly amusing, the lampooning of Coppola's "Dracula" is briefly quaint, but the piece in its entirety lacks focus and tension. It feels like loosely linked skits and bits, utterly unsatisfying. Back to the drawing board, Mr. S. Putting a bunch of "names" into your cast does not a movie make.

I've actually rated this a point lower than it likely deserves, mostly because it seemingly promised so much and failed to deliver. I'll make special mention of the horrendous casting of the ostensible "bad guy," whose coiffure totally destroys any sense of menace or majesty he is otherwise meant to convey. Late-night boredom viewing only, and preferably as cheaply as possible.

Amusing, occasionally campy, black comedy set in a world of music and vampires.

[hu675 · 8/10 · 21 August 2010]

An struggling rock band, which they called themselves "The Winners". The lead of the band, Joey (Rob Stefaniuk) is trying hard to find success with his band. His bassist Jennifer (Jessica Paré) is also his ex-girlfriend, guitarist (Paul Anthony), drummer (Mike Lobel) and their french-Canadian roadie (Chris Ratz) along as well with their sleazy manager (Dave Foley). They play music across Canada and the USA to keep themselves together. Although the band mates are pushing in their 30's. After an night of playing music in a bar, Jennifer finds herself bitten by a mysterious vampire named Queenie (Dimitri Coats). Slowly the band finally finds success with their music, although most people came for Jennifer. Now she looks totally different with her Gothic looks and her now alluring eyes. But there is an vampire hunter named Eddie Van Helsing (Malcolm McDowell) is after the lead vampire Queenie and the band.

Written and Directed by Rob Stefaniuk (Phil the Alien) made an amusing, entertaining, black comedy with campy thrills and some humorous special effects. Stefaniuk is certainly good in the movie, Paré is eye candy in this movie but special credit goes to McDowell, who gives an fine performance as a Vampire Hunter, who is actually afraid of the dark! Stefaniuk displays some visual style. Rocker:Alice Cooper appears in a surprisingly good supporting role. While other rockers like Iggy Pop, Moby, Herny Rollins and Alex Lifeson are put to good use in their small parts.

DVD has an fine anamorphic Widescreen (1.78:1) transfer and an good Dolby Digital 5.1 Surround Sound. The DVD includes an 45 minutes documentary, interviews with the cast & crew. I would have love to hear an running commentary track by the director. Since this is an independent feature, it is well produced and well directed. For sure, "Suck" will certainly have an cult following. Clever use of old footage of a young Malcolm McDowell during an flashback sequence. (****/*****).

I would say you're 30 pounds of junk food and a retail job away from killing yourself. Just a guess.

[lastliberal · 6/10 · 15 April 2011]

For those not into the Twilight genre of pretend vampire movies, this is an interesting film from Canada.

The band sucks, and so does someone else. The second sucking will cure the first.

Rock legends Alice Cooper, Moby, and Iggy Pop contribute to the fun, which also includes cartoon scenes interspersed throughout.

And, what would be a vampire movie without Van Helsing. Malcolm McDowell fills that role splendidly.

More yucks than gore. So, it is really a very soft R, almost a PG-13. Put drugs in a film and it overrides everything else.

interesting attempt

[SnoopyStyle · 4/10 · 12 August 2015]

Joey Winner (Stefaniuk) leads his band with bassist Jennifer (Jessica Paré), guitarist Tyler, drummer Sam and their roadie Hugo. Their manager Jeff (Dave Foley) is incompetent. Instead of sleeping in the hearse with the guys, Jennifer stays with weird looking Queeny who turns her into a vampire. The band leaves Montreal for Toronto without her. Joey asks money from his girlfriend Susan who is jealous of Jennifer. Jennifer shows up in Toronto with a different look. Eddie Van Helsing (Malcolm McDowell) is tracking down Queenie and follows the band. The band suddenly begins to get noticed.

Written and directed by Rob Stefaniuk, this has some interesting ideas. However the filmmaking is not sharp enough. It has great actors in this. I don't know how they got McDowell but I'm sure the music legends have something to do with it. I can see what this movie is trying to do. It seems obvious that this needs a music video director's touch to energize the pace. The humor isn't really that good either. The movie is just not sharp enough in any way.

A very fun musical experience

[korythacher · 7/10 · 18 October 2021]

I really enjoyed Suck. It felt like a funny, surreal, and musical vampire experience.

It did interesting camera work to create surreal scenes with music that gave off some real Rocky Horror vibes. It was funny, had decent actors, and a little contained story. There was cool stop-motion effects used for transitions and some fun cameos.

A big con is that they used "sped up shaking" effects a lot that didn't look good. The lead singer was not.

Well, it did kind of suck...

[paul_haakonsen · 3/10 · 25 August 2010]

I had little expectations to this movie, and as such I wasn't disappointed.

The good thing about the movie was that it actually had a decent enough story, and it worked well enough. Actually, you weren't really bored at any time in the movie, it just had that good pace to it.

As for the acting, well most actually did good jobs with their roles and characters. Malcolm McDowell was really good in the role, despite his name being Van Helsing, that was a bit too cliché for my taste. But his performance was excellent, he could have used more screen time though. And of course Alice Cooper and Iggy Pop did great in their supporting roles, especially Iggy Pop. There is just something odd-charismatic about that guy.

Now what made this movie drop down on my rating list was the whole cheesy feeling there was to it. It didn't really come off as a comedy, nor did it come off as an actual scary vampire movie. It was sort of a blurred mix of them both. And what was up with Dimitri Coats as the vampire Queeny? He looked like a discount version of Dani Filth (from Cradle of Filth), and he looked like he was crazed on flu medicine most of the time. That was one role that should have been giving to someone else, or at least had him look differently.

Despite the movie being fairly straight forward and decently paced, nothing much really happened throughout the entire course of the movie. Once it ended, I was going "was that it?" There were no major plot twists, no scenes that made you cringe or go "ooooh". It was basically a flat ride all along.

For a vampire movie, I have to say this is a tame one. There are other vampire movies out there with much more bite to it. And don't get bitten by a fake CGI bat while you read this!

Laughed so much during this.

[alienlegend · 7/10 · 24 February 2023]

I think it's very tough to pull off a horror comedy and this is certainly more comedy than horror but I still really loved it. Jennifer is so great as the vampire leader of the band and how the heck did they make the young Malcolm McDowell? Was that just him in makeup? It really looked flawless like how he was in A Clockwork Orange. Not even The Irishman could do de-aging that well and this was 2009 (although true The Irishman needs to do a ton more of it, not just one scene but still... X-Men: The Last Stand... tons of films have pretty bad "de-aging"). There are some wonky FX like some of the day to night transition shots and the very first shot of the film with a CG bat but overall it's a really fun movie that has a lot going for it. Jennifer steals the show.

Not really a fan of the film but hey!! :)

[ickleme_2 · 3/10 · 16 November 2010]

I was looking forward to watching this film as i have enjoyed watching other vampire spoof films. However the film had an exceptionally slow start and didn't really speed up even towards the end. The film was billed as a comedy and watching only found 3 or 4 lines in the entire film remotely funny. The best thing about the film is the cast. Some of the music stars really helped me continue watching, as i wanted to see who else would be in the film. The best thing about this film is that it really lives up to its title this film really "Sucks". It was 91mins of my life i will never get back. This however is just my opinion, and know of people who have actually enjoyed it. So i would say watch it. But don't buy it rent it as once will be enough.

surprisingly entertaining

[johnnyrj · 9/10 · 3 September 2010]

mmmmmmmmk. I do love a good surprise and this film doesn't disappoint. Keep in mind I'm not into all the goth, vampire, teen-angst-I-hate-my- parents-and-desperately-need-attention-from-anyone scene, but this film entertains throughout. It's well thought out and continues to flow throughout with plenty of amusing tidbits and darker yet somehow still light-hearted moments which will make just about anyone lolz. I particularly enjoyed the direction and choice of cast here. Everyone seemed to fit into their roles brilliantly, including all of the famous rock n rollers from days of yore. Nice to see everyone is working and keeping their sense of humor as opposed to overdosing and kicking off way too early.

There are a lot of fun visuals going on in this movie which take the viewer on a journey deep into the minds of the characters, but pulling back just at the right time to make way for some genuinely humorous moments. The direction ranges anywhere from B to A at any given moment and transitions nicely between the two. Thankfully the B moments retain some brilliance as well saving them from being misguided and flat.

For someone who isn't that into this particular kind of music, I somehow managed to find my way through the audio tracks and ended up actually liking a few in the end. They are believable, at times heart-felt and yet hilarious when called for. This Is Your Brain On Drugs was particularly entertaining :)

I must say that Alex Lifeson is evolving into quite the actor! I've thoroughly enjoyed his stuff on the most recent RUSH dvds and it just keeps getting better and better. His scenes in this movie had me in tears laughing :)

I highly recommend this film to anyone who is into the whole vampire meets rock n roll thing with a twist of funny.

No New Cult or Classic but Good

[Tweetienator · 7/10 · 26 June 2019]

Little fun flick that combines the rock 'n' roll music bizz with vampires, comedy and road movie - not every scene is that funny but all in all Suck is an entertaining one refined here and there by some unique ideas and a good production. The soundtrack is also not a bad one.

Last but not least: as sugar candy we get some great heroes in the cast: Alice Cooper, Iggy Pop, Henry Rollins and Moby honor us with their performance.

SUCK misses the jugular.

[filmcritter-803-136079 · 4/10 · 5 September 2010]

I had heard mixed things about SUCK from festival screenings, and I don't know why, it's really just not that good. The film wants to be something that it just doesn't quite achieve, unless you are a fan of misplaced music, non-laugh-out-loud jokes and tame, seen-it-before Vampire gags.

The biggest issue with SUCK is that it doesn't go for the jugular, pun intended. Its pretty weak in all aspects. I can respect the attempt and idea, but I can't respect the way it was carried out. The film was obviously low budget, but big enough to get the names that were attached, which were the only reason I can see this film getting the attention it did. The cameos were decent, but the rest of the film was badly paced, very predictable and uneventful. As a viewer I knew what was coming in the first ten minutes, but what should have taken 25 mins to get there, was stretched to about 50mins. The music didn't fit in with the hard-rock atmosphere, it was very 90's indie-pop sounding, and not a single tune stuck in my head. The biggest mistake with this film is that it didn't go all out in any sense, it wasn't a hilarious or over the top comedy horror, it wasn't an all out rock and roll horror, it was just tame all around, with lots and lots of gimmicks. Ontop of the that, the look of it was quite bad. Camera work looked really cheap, like Hilarious House of Frightenstein cheap. If it was intentional, it didn't lend itself to a better film. I have to say I'm not a big fan of REPO, and knowing its budget was somewhat higher, it at least knew what it was and went for it, I have a little more respect for it after seeing SUCK.

I feel bad ragging on a low budge film with a cool premise, but when it's just not done right, in reason for spending money on well known cameo names over substance, that makes me think of the high priced garbage Hollywood churns out, with big names and lots of gimmicks, and I don't buy that. Sorry

Simply brilliant!

[siderite · 10/10 · 14 January 2011]

Can a semi-musical vampire movie with a comedic twist ever be good? Rob Stefaniuk proves it can! This Canadian movie starring Rob Stefaniuk and Jessica Pare (... oh wait, you don't know who they are? How about Alice Cooper, Moby, Henry Rollins and Iggy Pop ? They are all in this) mixes all of the things above into a perfect union. I find it hard to describe it without comparing it to other things. It feels like the original Lost Boys found Interview with a Vampire, it looks like a Queens of the Stone Age video, it sounds like a rock concert and the jokes are tasteful and they relate to things without parody, but only good humour.

Bottom line: too cool for words, this film is not even about vampires. The undead condition is only a metaphor for the seduction of success. Best quote: "I'm just here to set you free... again.". It just proves that a good idea and a lot of spirit can make a movie great without the need for explosions and naked women. Watch it! Now!

actually pretty cool

[gielissen · 7/10 · 6 March 2023]

This was so much more than expected. Malcolm McDowell throw backs, Alice Cooper acting. Jessica Pare singing. Oh and Iggy Pop. What's not to like.

Very cool, don't expect to much, but this is fun. You have to be old enough to understand many of the old references, but if you get them, it's great fun.

I'm amazed at the writing from the standpoint of light things you need to catch.

And the music is not bad all the way to Beethoven's Moonlight sonata..

I've only seen it once, but I bet additional viewings with uncover more. I hope is becomes a cult classic. Again, don't expect too much...

Crazy stuff, enjoy.

The best thing you can say about a movie called Suck is that at least it doesn't...

[oneguyrambling · 5/10 · 4 February 2011]

Here is a film that ignores some of the more obvious issues that becoming a vampire might raise and instead goes right to big one: "What if the Vampire played bass in your band?" In this lighthearted and fairly amusing romp that's about as deep as it gets.

A struggling indie band whose own manager thinks they should sack him are going nowhere - until at a post gig after-party their bass player and only female member Jennifer heads off into the night with a vampire... that's not a spoiler folks this guy was obviously 100% vampire - Suck isn't a film that engages in subtlety much.

After missing the tour-hearse (not bus) the next morning the lead singer Joey, her ex-boyfriend by the way, decides enough and promotes the band roadie (and funniest guy in the film) Hugo to play bass - with ear-bleeding results.

So it seems a relief when a couple days later Jennifer reappears in fine fettle. If there is one thing that dozens of vampire films have shown us in the last couple years it is that Vampires have great skin! More than that the first gig with her back in the fold is a huge success - for them - literally dozens of hits on their website.

This momentum continues to build as more and more people show to their gigs to be entranced and taken by Jennifer's beauty and fangy-charisma.

The band are skeptical of Jennifer's true condition, especially when they find her chewing on her latest victim in a motel room... but sometimes you have to turn a blind eye to get to the top. Joey is less willing to take a back seat, leading him to undermine her impact at every available turn.

But as the famous saying goes - If having one vampire in your band is good, surely more is better? You might not have heard that saying but trust me it is huuuuge where I come from.

The whole movie plays out like an extended comedy skit, though it mostly remains just on the good side of outstaying it's welcome by featuring cameo after cameo of famous rockers just when things seem to be slowing down.

Alice Cooper has a supporting role and pops up every now and then, Iggy Pop plays a "seen it all" music producer and Henry Rollins has a very funny (and seemingly non-Henry Rollins) role as a moronic DJ who interviews the band.

I liked Suck and chuckled while I was watching the film, but it is essentially a one-note film that doesn't do much to shake up the vampire genre. It is a refreshing alternative to the oh so serious-yet vacant Twilight stuff though.

Wooops! Nearly forgot the other ethical dilemma created by having a vampire bass player: "Do the roles of the indie band roadie extend to cleaning up dead parts of groupies?" I'll leave you to chew over that one for the next few days.

Final Rating - 5.5 / 10. The best thing you can say about a movie called Suck is that at least it doesn't...

Rock Music could be better

[KatMovieLuver · 6/10 · 28 February 2023]

Entertaining comedy with vampires. A band that is getting older and still playing small clubs gets a chance at fame.

Iggy Pop makes a couple appearances that are great. Love Iggy in this movie. Alice Cooper has a small role and is awesome.

The 30 ish band members are funny. The cute girl in the band meets a mysterious guy at one of their gigs and comes back a vampire.

The band suddenly becomes popular. The leader of the band wants the fame but does not like the blood thirsty killings. Music could be better. The bands music did not do much for me. Still I liked the movie and it was a campy fun movie. Get your bloody Marys ready and watch it!

it sucked

[trashgang · 3/10 · 17 October 2010]

I don't have anything against The Rocky Horror Picture Show and I don't have anything against musicians playing in a movie but I really have something against movies classified under horror while it's just some piece of crap. Some of the musicians can't act, like Moby. If you want to see musicians act go watch Hardware. Why an actor like McDowell agreed to play in this flick is for me still a question. It just is a movie for teenies. If you like Twilight then you also will like this one. It is never scary or gory, yes, there is blood and dismembered bodies but it doesn't work. There are a lot of effects, old school like Alice Cooper said and CGI. A lot of effects done while editing. The director just made a mix of a musical, horror, spoof, and references to album covers (The Beatles at Abbey Road, Bruce Springsteen's Born in the USA). It's just a hodgepodge. Made for the teens, if you are a real horror geek, I prefer Hardware with Iggy Pop, Carl McCoy and Lemmy, just suck that one...