GLORIOUS

"...McKendry’s Glorious is a fun, gooey, occasionally mean-spirited, but very creative cosmic horror that brings a new level of grossness to a location already thought of as super gross by most who are forced to use it."

-J. Hurtado of Screen Anarchy

When did the official Lovecraft color become pink and purple? Seems to be the default ever since COLOR OUT OF SPACE.

Glorious is a 2022 American horror comedy thriller film directed by Rebekah McKendry and starring Ryan Kwanten and J. K. Simmons. After a breakup, Wes ends up at a remote rest stop. He finds himself locked inside the bathroom with a mysterious figure speaking from an adjacent stalls Glory Hole. Soon Wes realizes he is involved in a situation more terrible than he could imagine.

i did some digging into Rebekah McKendry and found she has been in the horror business for quite some time, even co-authoring a wonderfully titled novel Creepy Bitches: Essays On Horror From Women In Horror. She has been on the FANGORIA team since 2005, and won a Audience Choice Award for her film All the Creatures Were Stirring. This movie is very clearly made by a Horror pro who has been honing her craft for years, and her understanding of the genre really breathes life into what could have been another forgettable SHUDDER original.

Having our main character going through a breakup could easily be more pathetic than funny, but Ryan Kwanten is immediately likeable in this role. you empathize with his pain, you laugh at how he deals with it, and you (or maybe just me) get instantly attached to this adorable lil guy trying to get his shit together. the movie really hinges on his performance, and he absolutely nails it. and speaking of absolutely nailing it, i damn near creamed my jeans when i heard the voice of the glory hole is J. K. Simmons, Cave Johnson himself.

HOLY FUCKING SHIT I LOVE THIS MOVIE

Goin gin blind, you might expect this movie to start in the bathroom and quickly move on to a kind of road trip/quest situation, but i was pleasantly surprised to see how long this movie hangs out in the John. Its no easy task to make a whole movie using (mostly) a single setting, and this movie makes it look easy. the flashbacks keep things from feeling to claustrophobic, and good old Gary quite literally paints the room with gore.

This movie works as an amazing comedy, horror movie, serious drama, a gorgeous piece of directing, and a damn good time start to finish.

10/10