Is Mikey Trash or Treasure?

Blu Ray Distributed By: MVD / August 11, 2022

Mikey Kelvin (Brian Bonsall, Blank Check, ‘‘Family Ties”) has been a bad boy, only nobody knows exactly how bad. Tragic and Deadly ”accidents” seem to happen all around Mikey. So, from foster family to foster family and from school to school he goes, leaving a trail of unanswered questions. Of course, everyone knows Mikey is just a sweet, misunderstood little boy. But… remember… Jason and Freddy were once kids too!

From the producers of Point Break comes this cult classic horror film in the tradition of The Good Son with an all-star supporting cast that includes Ashley Laurence (Hellraiser), Josie Bissett (‘‘Melrose Place”), Mimi Craven (A Nightmare on Elm Street), John Diehl (A Time To Kill), Whit Hertford (A Nightmare on Elm Street 5: The Dream Child) and Lyman Ward (Ferris Bueller’s Day Off).

Jamie’s Take  (1.5 / 5)

I paused the blu ray and noticed I was just a little six and a half minutes in…just six minutes. Mikey (played by Brian Bonsall whose actually decent in this role) has killed his mom, sister and father. Mikey wastes no time in offing a bunch of characters and well, that’s where the film mainly suffers. There is no more suspense as to what this kid could be – viewers are now fully aware what a nutjob this kid can be and what a lying little shit he is on top of it. There isn’t much more to go after here and I myself kept wondering, if you already introduce the main character as this bonafide killer, why waste the rest of the film on this slow build before he kills again?

Mikey is quickly adopted by Rachel and Neil (played by Mimi Craven, the ex-wife of Wes Craven and John Diehl from Miami Vice) who take this child into their open arms and show him all the love and affection as if he is theirs. Mikey takes to his new parents right away, calling them “Mom and Dad” and saying how much he loves them. While Mikey does have a mischievous streak in him, it’s really nothing out of the ordinary like most pre-teen boys.

It isn’t until his teacher (Ashley Laurence from the Hellraiser franchise) starts snooping around, doing research on his past and being concerned over a few sick drawings he made in class and (the horror!) cheating on this silly marble game the kids play. Mikey starts to break a little but it isn’t until he falls head over heels for his friend’s older sister where he starts to show signs of being a psycho. Admittingly she’s a little cocktease and messes with Mikey’s mind but makes it clear that she loves her boyfriend (whose this typical early 90’s skater douchbag) and the feelings she has for Mikey is like…a brother (oh dear readers, if I had a $1 for all the times girls and women had said that dreaded phrase to me, I would fucking retire at a drop of a hat). I can’t blame Mikey for losing his shit so much there.

Mikey is basically The Stepfather with a little boy in the lead rather than a man. It’s pretty much beat for beat a remake and while I liked The Stepfather, Mikey just doesn’t offer any real suspense or chills. The only uncomfortable moments is when Mikey stands over his nude mom in the bathtub holding a conversation as her ta ta’s float majestically in the water. Why is she being all natural in front of her kid?!? I kept wondering why no one just doesn’t bumrush this little fucker and take him out? I always had this issue with “killer kid” movies. How can anyone let themselves be beaten or killed by someone not even 5 foot tall?

Mikey also suffers due to the rather low budget and amateurish film making by first time director Dennis Dimster. The film felt more like a made for TV movie than a feature film. Actors who I typically like deliver bland performances but that could be because of the awful script by Jonathan Glassner (a TV writer judging from his filmography on imdb). While the dialog is often times melodramatic and over the top, the script’s biggest flaw is the predictability of it all and showing us what Mikey can do in the first few minutes of the film. The death scene in the opening is the best part of the whole movie, including the laughably bad climax where Mikey somehow knows how to make a molotov cocktail and blows up a house. The violence in Mikey makes the violence in Death Wish 3 look like a Scorsese film.

I am new to MVD so I admit I was impressed by the transfer as well as the special features. I would have liked to have seen an audio commentary track or hear from Laurence or Diehl on their experiences making Mikey. But there is a 87 minute “making of” featurette that interviews some of the culprits who made Mikey for all you Mikey fans. The blu ray packaging is great as the blu ray comes with a slipcover that has fake VHS stickers on the front of the box, much like a VHS tape would look like back in the day.

If looking for a “killer kid” movie I might suggest Village of the Damned, Who Can Kill a Child, or The Children. Mikey has some growing up to do in order to fit in with the likes of those movies.

Hidden Treasure/Dumpster Fire?

Jamie's Take:	(1.5 / 5)
Blu-ray Extras:	(3.0 / 5)
Average:	(2.3 / 5)

Special Features

• High Definition Blu-ray (1080p) presentation of the main feature in 1.78:1 aspect ratio
• Audio: 2.0 Stereo
• English Subtitles
• NEW! Feature Length Making of Documentary: ”The Making of Mikey” (HD, 1:27:11)
• NEW! ”Mikey: Anatomy of a Scene” with Director Dennis Dimster-Denk (HD, 13:36)
• Theatrical Trailer (SD, 2:15)
• Collectible Mini-Poster