by Robert Scocchi
| Published
If there's one thing I love more than a good horror comedy, it's one that was made in direct defiance of Walt Disney's wishes thanks Steamboat Willie It becomes public domain in 2024. Seizing the opportunity to make a slasher game based on Mickey Mouse, writer Simon Phillips and director Jaime Belli announced their intention to produce mousetrap, They released a trailer on January 1, 2024, the same day that copyright laws will no longer apply to intellectual property as if they had been waiting for this moment all their lives. The end result is a terrifying teen movie in which the antagonist bears a striking resemblance to Steamboat Willie Mickey Mouse iteration, as subsequent depictions of the character are still protected under copyright law.
Get the legal Mumbo Jumbo out of the way
before Mousetrap In its gory events, a huge disclaimer slowly scrolls across the screen informing the audience that “This production is not sponsored, endorsed by, or associated with… Disney“The Walt Disney Company or any of its subsidiaries, affiliates and/or third party licensors.” The disclaimer continues for a comical amount of time, letting everyone know that they made several phone calls to confirm that Disney wanted nothing to do with it. Launching with this film, “legally or emotionally”, but only before acknowledging that the disclaimer itself is a space-scrolling “general advertisement”…not to be confused with Lucas Films, its subsidiaries, or third party licensors.
Sure, this whole introduction to Mousetrap It's a joke in and of itself, but there was clearly some fear of legal ramifications for the project, so why not be completely sarcastic when you have the chance?
Mousetrap frame
The events described in Mousetrap It is told in hindsight from the prison cell occupied by Rebecca (Mackenzie Mills), the sole survivor of the recreation center massacre. At first, Rebecca is reluctant to dive in with Detectives Cole (Damir Kovic) and Marsh (Nick Biskupic) about what happened before she was locked up because she fears for her life. In order to prove her innocence, Rebecca has to accompany the investigators throughout the night because at this time she is the main person of interest, as she is the only person who made it out of the entertainment center alive.
However, it should be noted that Rebecca's story is questionable at best because her recollection of events includes exchanges that occurred when she was not allegedly present.
Story framing aside, Mousetrap He jumps back and forth from Rebecca's interrogation to Funhaven, the entertainment center where Alex (Sophie Mackintosh) and Jenna (Madeleine Kelman) work. Nearing the end of their shifts, Alex and Jenna are contacted by their boss Tim (Simon Phillips), who asks them to stay a few hours late due to a last-minute booking. Tim disappears into the back office, pours himself a drink and watches Steamboat Willie on his projector until he is distracted by a collectible Mickey mask, which taunts him with a demonic voice, prompting him to wear it.
Tim Wonders laughs, and that's the last time he sees her…or so everyone is supposed to think.
Start the bloodbath
Unbeknownst to Alex at the time, the party she was due to arrive in was made up of her friends, which I won't include on the list because you know going there Mousetrap No one gets out alive, so why bother? Meanwhile, Tim, still wearing Mickey's mask, appears to chain and lock all the doors, ensuring that no one can escape Funhaven.
Now, if you've only seen one SlasherYou pretty much know where Mousetrap Heading at this point. One by one, Killer Mickey, who inexplicably possesses teleportation powers, slaughters everyone in his path while letting out a high-pitched laugh with every stab and slash.
From this point on, Mousetrap It unabashedly executes every classic trope you can think of with style.
This couple wanders into the jungle gym to make love? Don't comment too much. Saying the words “I'll be right back” instantly becomes a death sentence. And of course, naturally Everyone's cell phone is placed in a bag so everyone can live in the moment instead of doom scrolling. Except in this case, not being able to pass at a birthday party pretty much seals everyone's fate.
Magical and morbid
Mousetrap It doesn't aim to reinvent the slasher genre, but rather celebrates familiar beats that we've all seen before in the most ridiculous ways possible. Although I initially wished I didn't see Tim in disguise at the beginning of the film, with the implication that he's the only one who could be the killer, going into this film without the slightest hint of mystery somehow makes it more enjoyable.
Mousetrap It's not supposed to make you think, and there's no big reveal.
In fact, five minutes into the movie, you know exactly what's going to happen (by design), allowing you to unconsciously enjoy the violence knowing what's going to happen as a spectator while everyone else is completely unaware.
You can stream Mousetrap It's free on Tubi at the time of this writing, and I highly suggest you invite your friends over to watch Mickey Mouse go on a murderous rampage.
