Hold the Fort – Review | Fantasia (4/5)

HOLD THE FORT is a new Horror-Comedy we’re screening for Fantasia 2025. I thoroughly enjoyed this movie and highly recommend you check it out. A real genre treat full of practical effects and mythical creatures. Read our full Hold the Fort movie review here!

HOLD THE FORT is a Horror-Comedy that won me over from its opening scene. It’s an indie production that does everything right. From the practical effects to the well-written characters, this feels like a love letter to horror movies.

Also, as a horror-comedy, it has plenty of comedy. Often of the very dark variety, as this is a survival story where mythical creatures must be defeated to protect a local neighborhood. Lesson of the movie: Always read your HOA contract closely.

Continue reading our Hold the Fort movie review below. Screened for Fantasia 2025.

Welcome to the Neighborhood… please survive

Lucas (Chris Mayers) and Jenny (Haley Leary) have just moved to a new neighborhood and cannot believe their luck. Their home is amazing and much cheaper than expected. Of course, there’s always a catch when something is too good to be true.

See Cellar Door or Get Off My Lawn for reference on that. The latter even has the same comedy vibe as Hold the Fort, though I prefer this latest movie.

The day Lucas and Jenny move in, there’s a party thrown by their Homeowners Association (aka the HOA). Jenny did not know about the HOA and is not a fan of the concept. Lucas did know about it, but didn’t read the contract. He just noticed that a swimming pool is being built.

However, he really should have read the HOA contract.

A literal Hell Hole

A few hours into the HOA party, both new homeowners are about to find out why they should’ve read the contract. Let’s just say the motto of this yearly HOA involves the words of encouragement regarding everyone (hopefully!) surviving the night.

They find themselves in a very real fight for their lives. This particular HOA has a job that should probably be handled by Buffy the Vampire Slayer. There is an onslaught of monsters from hell. That’s right, in the middle of their neighborhood, there is a literal Hell Hole.

This hole leading to Hell opens up once a year, and it’s the job of the HOA (as in everyone who lives in the neighborhood) to battle these monsters. Home-ownership is serious business in this neighborhood, where witches, werewolves, and kamikaze bats (to name a few) are attacking.

I didn’t have any particular expectations for this movie, but I did expect a fun time. What I got from Hold the Fort was a horror-comedy that leads into the struggles of home-ownership and neighborhood struggles in the funniest and most extreme way.

It was an awesome ride and I enjoyed it immensely. Also, the casting was perfect!

Watch Hold the Fort when you get the chance

Hold the Fort comes from writer-director William Bagley and is based on a story by first-time author Scott Hawkins. After watching this horror-comedy, I really hope they’ll continue working together. Clearly, this is a camp and kitsch horror-comedy match made in horror heaven.

Producers of the movie include Matt Dodd, Luke Williams, Tim Reis, and Julian Smith. Many of these names were also involved with William Bagley’s previous movie (his feature film debut), titled The Murder Podcast from 2021. I definitely need to check out that one as well.

Even the runtime of just 74 minutes (or 1 hour and 14 minutes, for those who prefer that description) is simply perfect. Do make sure you stick around during the end credits. Plenty of behind-the-scenes moments to keep the fun going a little longer.

Hold the Fort is screened and reviewed as part of our Fantasia 2025 coverage. We’ll update this review with official release dates when we have them.

Details

Director: William Bagley
Writer: William Bagley
Story: Scott Hawkins
Cast: Chris Mayers, Haley Leary, Julian Smith, Hamid-Reza Benjamin Thompson, Michelle Lamb, Levi Burdick