Haunted Objects might be the most undervalued horror subgenre. Rubber, Attack of the Killer Tomatoes, Killdozer, Killer Sofa, and Death Bed: The Bed That Eats are pure cinema. Out of FrightFest, Chris Lightbody and Robert J. Steinmiller Jr. throw their proverbial hats into the ring with their new feature, Bad Karaoke, about a killer karaoke machine. It’s as outlandish as it sounds. The film, written by Lightbody and Spencer Yaras, perfectly captures the camp of the premise and never sacrifices the wicked setpieces. If cornball cheese is what you’re itching for, Bad Karaoke will do the trick, and maybe it’ll inspire you to actually get good at karaoke.
Emily (Lexi Underwood), Noah (Case Walker), and their bandmates travel through the backwoods on their way to a cabin for the weekend. They are a cover band, yet find joy in busting out speakers at dive bars all across the country. When they stop for a drink at a nearby bar, Emily discovers an old karaoke machine that hasn’t been used since a tragic incident in 2012. The bartender didn’t realize it was still in storage and gives it to Emily, free of charge. The group lights up; who doesn’t love a good round of bad karaoke? Oh, but they have no idea what they’ve just stepped into.
Over the weekend, the karaoke machine forces the band into a deadly game of Russian roulette. They must sing for their lives. If they’re bad, it makes them choose how they die. But if they’re good, they survive. Or so it seems. Lightbody and Steinmiller deliver all the bloody punches you’d want, some particularly nasty. Bad Karaoke knows exactly what kind of film it is. There’s no pretense about being a masterpiece. It’s a popcorn flick and nothing more. It’s an escape from real life. In 2026, it’s a necessary salve for these troubled times.
Underwood and Walker (who bears a striking resemblance to ’90s Ryan Phillippe) commit so fully and apologetically to the material that furthers the story’s innate hilarity. The cast is rounded out by solid showings from Kat Cunning, Kate Miner, Jonathan Jason Green, and Jenna Karan. It’s an undeniably cohesive ensemble; you believe they’re friends and band members. You don’t even have to like karaoke to enjoy everything Bad Karaoke offers. The film is a certainly a worthy addition to Haunted Objects, which also includes similarly campy entries such as Maximum Overdrive, The Mangler, and Slaxx.
Chris Lightbody and Robert J. Steinmiller Jr.’s Bad Karaoke makes a bid as one of the goofiest and most fun horror films of 2026. Practical effects, gushing blood, and flying body parts abound. And that’s all you really need for an outrageously good time. Where films like Obsession and Backrooms commented on toxic masculinity and trauma, respectively, sometimes what you really need in life is a film that’s just a hoot.
Leave a Reply