RATING: A

A District 78/Father Greg Productions film. Directed by Robert J. Steinmiller Jr. and Chris Lightbody. Produced by Brendan Petrizzo, Robert J. Steinmiller Jr., Chris Lightbody, and Spencer Yaras. Written by Chris Lightbody and Spencer Yaras. Cinematography by Tommy Oceanak. Edited by Cori Wapnowska. 

Stars Lexi Underwood, Case Walker, Kat Cunning, Jonathan Jason Green, Kevin Clayette, Jenna Karan, Robert J. Steinmiller Jr., Bianca Castronovo, with Justin Miner, and Kate Miner. 

A possessed karaoke machine? Oh yeah! That is the device used in this wild and wacky horror-comedy co-directed by former child actor Robert J. Steinmiller Jr. and Chris Lightbody.

A local band is heading to a major wedding gig. Emily is an aspiring songwriter who wants to release her songs, but band leader Hannah would rather stick to the hits. Her only support is her best friend Noah. Hannah’s girlfriend Ava and the wild Logan round out the band, along with Logan’s friend Matt. Deciding to stop at a cabin for the night before the wedding, they first discover a karaoke machine in the trash at a nearby bar, and the band decides to grab it.

Upon entering the cabin, Logan sets up the karaoke machine and begins the first song. The others enjoy Logan’s performance but when the karaoke machine reads “poor performance” and the screen reads “select your death”. Logan thinks it’s a joke and plays along, until he is actually killed in front of everyone. The others soon learn that they are forced to sing and if they perform poorly, they will die. They must find the secret to the karaoke machine of death before its too late because it turns out, it becomes more than putting on a good performance. 

Now, this is a fascinating concept for a horror-comedy! With Gatlopp, we’ve seen a drinking game that can send you to Hell. And now, we have a karaoke machine that causes death to those who can’t sing well enough. As a karaoke fan, this is one insane movie and while it is mean to mock poor performances, the fact that people who just want to sing and have fun with it is well respected. After all, it’s karaoke, not American Idol. But there’s a reason why this machine is possessed.

Lexi Underwood is great as Emily, the songwriter who just wants to release her own music much to the chagrin of band leader Hannah. In a world where small-time bands would rather belt out covers than attempt original music, it brings a sense of hindrance when it comes to dreams. Noah, Emily’s best friend who one can guess, harbors a crush on her, is played by Case Walker (no, not the MMA fighter from Never Back Down 2 & NBD: No Surrender). Kat Cunning brings a sense of arrogance in her role of band leader Hannah, who tends to force the band with rules and sticking to covers. 

Where the film gets very interesting is the backstory of the karaoke machine. A flashback seen in the opening and later in the third act reveals the 1st victim of the machine, a former bartender named Melissa, played by Shameless’ Kate Miner. She sings “I Only Have Eyes for You” before a ticked-off live performer, who lost his job to the machine, is electrocuted while pulling the machine on the plug, causing Melissa to be permanently blind. Fun fact: Playing the live performer is Kate Miner’s husband, musician Justin Miner. There is also a cameo from co-director Robert J. Steinmiller Jr., who many will know for his child roles in Jack the Bear and The Ref, as one-half of a husband-wife duo who get a shot at the karaoke machine. 

Bad Karaoke brings a very fun concept and executes it so well that this could be a film that fans who love the weird and crazy will want to watch over and over again…and could be fun to have a karaoke night followed by a screening of this movie!

The film made its world premiere at Tubi Frightfest London on August 30.