Neil Morrisey is reunited with much of the cast, crew and location
of the TV series Boon, in which he shot to fame for this refreshingly
effective horror comedy about Satanists, bikers, and a vintage motorbike
that becomes vampirised. Shot in Birmingham on a minute budget by
a group of Central TV production staff who were moonlighting after
meeting Sam Raimi, TV director Dirk Campbell's feature debut retains
a base level of quick-witted humour while pouring on a helping of
grungy gore, courtesy of the Image Animation team. The uniformly respectable
performances are rather overshadowed by Elphick's deadpan garlic-crunching
Inspector Cleaver.
Noddy (Neil Morrissey), a dumb motorcycle courier who buys a tatty
old Norton Commando motorbike, is somewhat bemused by his bikes refusal
to be rolled out of the garage until after dark, and has a distinct
aversion to garlic in the take-away food on which he exists. When
you add to this the fact that it sprouts blades from its wheels, and
thrives on blood rather petrol, then you know Noddy's got problems.
The first victim in Noddy’s mate Buzzer (Daniel Peacock), who
is found decapitated in his flat, whilst the walls are covered in
blood and tread marks.
Garlic-eating Inspector Cleaver (Michael Elphick) is on hand to investigate
the grisly goings-on, but Noddy turns to a priest for assistance.
He is met first with scepticism, then with steely resolve as the eccentric
cleric (Anthony Daniels) tools up for an exorcism and exclaims: "right
- let's go and kick some bottom".