Useless Humans is a sci-fi comedy with a clear inspiration in the B sci-Fi films of the 50s and 60s. Director Stephen Ohl and writers Travis Betz, George Caine, Kevin Hamedani, Stephen Ohl, and Ryan Scaringe build a believable and captivating film that utilizes past genre tropes, references, and inspiration.
Character Development
Useless Humans crafts a group of realistic, yet endlessly entertaining characters, who feel like they would actually be friends. Watching this group try to survive an alien invasion, while maintaining their beer-chugging and pot-smoking reunion mission makes you wish you were hanging out and partying with them, even with the dangers of alien-through-the-head.
For a very short film at a little over an hour, Useless Humans uses this time to introduce, and fulfill all their promises. In a quick montage of past excuses for why each member of the central friend group can’t make their reunion, we are quickly introduced to each person and know just enough about their personalities and lifestyles.
Useless Humans bases each character around a trope found common within sci-fi and horror films in a deeply affectionate manner. Every character inhabits these roles perfectly and offers twists on what we have come to expect.
Performances
Rushi Kota’s performance as Louis helps this referential and engaging comedy stand out in the crowd of similar films in the nostalgic mode of Stranger Things. His performance lifts the film every moment he expertly captures the anxiety of someone caught in a lie about their perfect life. He takes a common character type and makes him someone you want to spend more time with, even if he spends that time freaking out in increasingly intense and funny ways. Luke Youngblood adds a mystery to his singular beer-focused character through quick lines mentioning what he may or may not have been doing in the time since their last adventure.
Useless Humans sports an introductory scene reminiscent of Slither and well-placed lines referencing films such as Army of Darkness, which both add to the niche horror appeal of this funny, booze-soaked comedy. In another aspect of the story, Wendy (Maya Kazan) and Chum (Edy Ganem) develop their unique dynamic in short moments spliced throughout the main story of the film. These scenes work well to bridge together every section of the film in a fun and worthwhile finale. Kazan and Ganem display wonderful chemistry in their performances, but I would have loved to see more of their characters throughout the film.
Cinematography
What really stands out in Useless Humans is its cinematography, and how these beautiful lights and shadows give the film a look that is unique, while also capturing the heart of the films upon which it is inspired. In a particularly memorable moment, each character comes out of a tool shed with what they will use as a weapon in this twisty and conspiracy-fueled alien invasion.
Each character comes out bathed in light of a different, yet equally as compelling color. Each color beautifully pours out of the windows, reminiscent of fog spilling from the cabin windows in the Evil Dead series.
The film plays up its 1950s influences in its simple creature design and cutting away in most horror scenes. The film might not be successful for people wanting blood, guts, and gore, but if you are in the mood for a light, funny, horror-comedy – heavy on the comedy – Useless Humans is something special.
At first, the lack of seeing the creature and the gore it unfurls might not work, but as the film continues, this works better and better. In one especially impactful moment, the comedy and horror go hand in hand as a character dodges a rake attack, only to hit another rake because they’re surrounded by tools and farm equipment.
Music
One of the elements in Useless Humans that works the best and helps put you in the right mindset to enjoy the film’s comedy and aesthetic comes in the frequent and familiar tones of its music. Every tone in the film’s score captures the awe and cheesy alien effects of films like Plan 9 from Outer Space and The Thing from Another World.
There’s a hopeful tone to the chimes that makes you remember that space is mindbogglingly big. Every time the music returns to these familiar tones, the film reminds us exactly how we should feel – optimistic about space, yet afraid of the unknown.
By utilizing a musical score created by Matthew James, inspired by the history of sci-fi films, every other referential aspect of the film feels that much more appropriate and weirdly wholesome in the middle of the – not so frequent and detailed – blood.
Conclusion
Every aspect of Useless Humans aims to affectionately recall films of the past while maintaining a perfectly modern tone with its comedy, twists, and characters. Rushi Kota gives a standout performance and makes me look forward to more of their work. Stephen Ohl set out to capture a bygone era of genre film and achieves this in a film that thrives in its visual style, comedic sensibility, and adoration of all things sci-fi and horror. If you love a good laugh as much as a rake-to-the-face, check this film out.
Are you looking forward to this comedic sci-fi film? If so, share your thoughts in the comments.
Useless Humans releases on July 10th on VOD!
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