I was a nerd growing up. Ok, who am I kidding? I’m still that introverted nerd who spent his childhood reading Dragonlance fantasy novels and was fed a steady stream of 80s sword and sorcery films, randing from The Sword and the Sorcerer and Conan: The Barbarian to Krull. They were the kind of films (and novels) that often took themselves at least a little too seriously...even as the heroes wielded improbable swords with not one but three distinct and separate blades. And while Psycho Goreman is about an intergalactic space tyrant, its heart still beats with a love for those 80s fantasy films.

It just happens to gently take the piss out of them, too.

We’re told through text narration that many moons ago on the distant planet of Gigax evil reigned supreme. That a “ruthless being had amassed power beyond measure and was preparing to strike down all that was good and just in the universe.” Before the film can even properly start, writer/director Steven Kostanski sneaks in a fantasy homage to Gary Gygax and it was the first indication that I was going to love this film. As the narration tells us that this insidious being was imprisoned far beyond reach, the camera focuses on Earth before nicely transitioning to a shot of a dodgeball.

The ball belongs to brother and sister Luke (Owen Myre) and Mimi (Nita-Josee Hanna), who are deep in the middle of a game of Crazy Ball. Mimi wins (you get the feeling this happens a lot) and she forces Luke to dig his own grave and they unwittingly uncover an amulet that has imprisoned the monstrously named Archduke of Nightmares (played by Matthew Ninaber, voiced by Steven Vlahos). After a bloody first encounter with some thieves where the Archduke rips the head off one and seals the other in eternal state of paralyzed pain, Luke and Mimi realize what they’ve unleashed. Very quickly Mimi, ever the sociopath in training, realizes the gem she took from the ground bends him to her will and so she commands him to do her bidding. Oh, and she changes his name to Psycho Goreman.

PG to his friends.

But there is nothing PG about the movie that follows, even as it takes inspiration from Power Rangers and, believe it or not, Harry and the Hendersons. Except instead of creatures like a turkey crammed into a metal sphere named Turkey Jerk, we get Death Trapper, a deranged cauldron of goopy goo and body parts...crammed inside a metal container filled with bloody acid...that he uses to spray on his victims. And instead of a bewildered Sasquatch, it’s an inter-galactic Thanos-wannabe who pontificates on his superior existence and history...before getting cut short by Mimi’s impatience and disdain for anything that’s not about her.

Outside of the silly humor, the creatures and their DIY effects are easily the best part of Psycho Goreman. From the gooey explosions to the men-in-rubber-suits aliens, the film oozes as much charm as Death Trapper oozes bloody acid. In an early sequence, Luke accidentally knocks over the thief PG placed into a frozen state of torture. The body falls over and smashes into bloody bits, “he was my masterpiece!”, PG yells and what’s left of the man’s mouth whispers, “thank you…” Moments like this showcase Psycho Goreman at its strongest as it weaves gory effects with droll humor.

After this illustrious start, most of the plot follows Mimi’s attempt to integrate her galaxy-destroying new servant PG into suburban America while, galaxies away, a space organization called the Paladins become aware their galactic nightmare has finally escaped imprisonment. So while Mimi, Luke and their divorce-ready parents Susan (Alexis Kara Hancey) and Greg (Adam Brooks) struggle with their every day concerns of a family on the verge of destructing, an army of aliens are about to descend to put an end to PG, no matter the cost. Somewhere along the way, we also get a random musical number with Luke’s tentacled friend Alastair (don’t ask) on the keyboards and PG on the drums, natch.

It’s gleefully absurd.

“Gleeful” and “absurd” are probably the best descriptors for Psycho Goreman, a film that obviously knows and loves the genre it lampoons and wants you to feel that same love. It’s not as interested in exploring the family dynamics in Mimi’s family and glosses over the fact that Mimi is kind of a sociopath in her relationship with...well, everyone. As the film roars towards its climax, it kind of shoehorns in this added dramatic layer but it never really does anything with it. It’s more flavor than anything else, as the focus is mostly on the drolly hilarious PG and his Bernie-at-the-2021-inauguration reactions to the situation he’s found himself in. If you’ve ever thought about how much of a blowhard most villains are, you’ll laugh as a young child constantly interjects into his histrionics.

If you’re ready for R-rated Power Ranger monsters, fantasy lampooning and precociously sociopathic children...you’re going to love Psycho Goreman.