To say that I went into Studio 666 with low expectations would be a gross understatement. Foo Fighters are hardly known for their acting prowess, and their promise to deliver a horror comedy seemed to be a tough act to deliver.
Despite this, I was still lured in. Why was this?

Well, it has to be stated that Foo Fighters marked a significant point in my music journey through the 90s, and while their production output has been questionable of late, with some, including myself, thinking that the ink has started to run dry in their creativity, this rock outfit has been entertaining for many years now. They are entertainers and it is inherent in their bones.
So, was I entertained?

To begin with, my doubts doubled with a slightly cringy approach to getting the band into the studio house of horror with the guise of recording their 10th album. The creeks were deafening, and the horror tropes were overwhelming… but…

The further they ventured into the world, the more the bands’ characters and appeal began to shine. The jokes, which some critics have baulked at as being juvenile, genuinely had me laughing out loud. Something I didn’t predict at all. 

And then there’s the music, but not from the area that you would expect. The composition to the score is in the hands of a horror maestro, John  Carpenter. As soon as those pulsating rhythms take hold, you know that you are in safe hands when it comes to someone of his ability orchestrating the score. And what’s more, we even get a treat to his presence on screen in a truly apt cameo.

This alone is an indicator of just how well Grohl and the gang know their genre because there are some great nods to auteurs of the past. And possibly the greatest playing card in their final product, is the brave attempt to cast a light on the Foo Fighters darkest characteristics, mainly centred on Dave Grohl’s ego. Here is a man often cast as the nicest man in rock music, and yet there is a bubbling undercurrent that there is too much control going on. What Dave Grohl says goes and no one dares cast their wind against him. Foo Fighters has always been his vision, and with so much of a tight grip, there has to be questions about how the rest of the band react to that. This is the vein of the film and Grohl is not afraid to cut this open and expose the inner truths and turmoils lurking within. In doing so, Studio 666 throws both dark and light into the mix, combining these moments of calamity with comedy that zings.

The prognosis:

Yes, it was over-the-top and delivered on a huge platter that was hard to swallow, but they kept on entertaining and produced a fun-filled film. 

They are not actors, but neither were The Beatles.
Similarly, Foo Fighters have giving us a highly enjoyable film that projects their characteristics to the fore. 

• Saul Muerte