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Devon Sawa, Seth Green, Elden Henson, Jessica Alba, Christopher Hart ... see more see more... , Vivica A. Fox , Jack Noseworthy , Katie Wright , Sean Whalen , Nick Sadler , Fred Willard , Connie Ray , Mindy Sterling , Steve Van Wormer

Teenage burnouts and post-modern slasher films are both raked over the satiric coals in the blood-soaked comedy Idle Hands. Anton (Devon Sawa) is a cheerful but exceedingly non-ambitious 17-year-old s... read more read more...toner who lives to stay buzzed, watch TV, and moon over Molly (Jessica Alba), the beautiful girl who lives next door. However, it turns out that the old cliché about idle hands being the devil's playground has a kernel of truth after all; there's a demonic beast living in his house that has already decapitated Anton's mom and dad (though it takes him a while to notice), and now the Dark Lord Himself has taken possession of Anton's right hand. Before he's entirely aware of what's happening, Anton's demon hand has killed his two best friends, Mick (Seth Green) and Pnub (Elden Henson), though both come back as zombies to keep Anton company. Can Randy (Jack Noseworthy), local metalhead and expert on all things Satanic, figure out what the Evil One has planned next for Anton's digits? Will traveling demon slayer Debi (Vivica A. Fox) vanquish the possessed in time? And most important, will Anton get to go to the big dance with Molly before his hand starts causing trouble again? Director Rodman Flender certainly knows the genres he parodies here; he cut his teeth in horror working for exploitation legend Roger Corman and directed the film Bloody Mutilators as well as episodes of the TV series Tales From The Crypt, while more recently he immersed himself in teenage culture directing episodes of the TV series Party of Five and Dawson's Creek. ~ Mark Deming, Rovi

Flixster Users

56% liked it

54,495 ratings

Critics

15% liked it

53 critics

R, 1 hr. 32 min.

Directed by: Rodman Flender

Release Date: April 30, 1999

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DVD Release Date: August 28, 2001

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Stats: 2,443 reviews

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Flixster Reviews (2,443)

  • cosmo313
    October 10, 2011
    cosmo313
    This is a gruesome but fun horror comedy about a super lazy teenaged slaker who's right hand gets possessed by evil and goes on a killing spree. Plotwise, that's it. There's really nothing mroe to this movie. I mena, there's a bit of a love story going on, and it's a high school ... read moremovie, but really, that's just extra stuff. The real focus is just about the killer hand and the bum trying to stop it before too much mayhem gets caused.

    This movie really seems like it's gonna be stupid and suck, and yes, while it's by no means intelligent or brilliant, it's super entertaining and a great deal of fun. As far as horror comedy movies go, it's far more campy and schlocky than Scream. It's slapsticky in the vien of Evil Dead II (which it references/parodies constantly and not subtly), but it avoids being a total ripoff, so it's cool.

    The characters, though goofy, lazy, good for nothing stoners, are likeable and it's hilarious watching them banter back and forth and try to deal with such a ludicrous situation as a killer hand on the loose. Jessica Alba is also in this as the hottie love interest, and, while she's not great, this was early in her career so her flaws can be overlooked (I think).

    For a comedy, this is quite gruesome, but it's almsot always played for laughs, even though it does get a little disturbing at times. Maybe here and there some legitimately intense moments pop up, but this is mostly just wacky instead of being a truly scary experience. The effects are good though and Christopher Hart (who played Thing in the Addams Family movies) is awesome as the possessed hand once it SPOILER gets chopped off and starts roaming free.

    LIke many high school movies, the climax takes place at a school dance, only here it's a Halloween ball instead of prom. For rock fans, it's also cool seeing The Offspring play the band perfporming at the dance. Without getting into specifics, they also are part of one of the best bits of the movie. Overall, this is some silly stuff, and I shouldn't be giving it the credit I am, but I first saw this at an impressionable age, and it left a pretty good impression on me, and I think it's pretty charming. Yeah, it's not great, but as far as B-movies like this go, it could be a whole lot worse. Besides, where else are you gonna see people using an asthma inhaler as a hash pipe?

    Shut your brain off and give this a chance. It's ridiculous, but quite fun.
  • TheDudeLebowski65
    October 1, 2011
    TheDudeLebowski65
    Inept attempt at a comedy horror film, Idle Hands is one of those forgettable horror comedies that has a boring, unimpressive teen cast. Seth Green was the only one in this film that made it a little bit funny, and everyone else was pretty awful. Devon Sawa was never a good actor... read more to begin with, and his skills are pretty mediocre here. The film sucks. The plot might've been something very good if the screenwriters would've written another draft of the screenplay, but they didn't. The film feels, tired, lazy and uninspired. Jessica Alba has always been good at one, providing a films eye candy, and she doesn't disappoint in this. But as usual, her acting abilities leave a lot to be desired. The film might've been good when first released, but it's one of those films that really doesn't stand the test of time, and now, over a decade after the films release; you see that it's not a good movie. Sure it's not the worst, but it's still bad. Idle Hands could have been a lot better; the film could have been something really funny. Unfortunately it falls flat. Idle Hands is definite a poor attempt at horror comedy, one that everyone should forget about. Idle Hands is not a film that has stood the test of time, the film has become unfunny very quick and it's easily one of the worst horror comedies in quite some time. Luckily for horror fans, there have been better horror comedies since this films release. Forgettable and avoidable film. Aside from Jessica Alba, this film is awful.
  • lewiskendell
    June 12, 2010
    lewiskendell
    If you're a Jessica Alba fan, Idle Hands is going to appeal to you much, much more than the average viewer. We're talking about a movie where a woman who's basically made a career from being incredibly hot, is at her absolute hottest. If you're anything like me, that sole reason ... read moreis more than enough to make Idle Hands required viewing.

    But some of you probably care more about the quality of the movie, than how hot young Ms. Alba was. Weirdos. Idle Hands is extremely dumb, and that's completely intentional. It's probably the most light-hearted slasher/horror movie I've ever seen, and there's a mix of stoner comedy in here, as well. A slacker's hand gets possessed by an evil force, and most of the movie involves him trying to keep it from murdering people. His bumbling friends often get in the way, and the hand's obsession with killing the girl he's interested in also complicates matters.

    Obviously, this isn't Hamlet, but I think it struck a decent cord between dumb humor and campy, 90's horror. I found it strangely enjoyable, in a very B-movie kind of way. Give it a shot, if you ever get the opportunity. Just have a cool drink handy, so that you won't melt under the hotness of Jessica.
  • stormyweather980
    August 15, 2009
    stormyweather980
    I knew I wanted to see "Idle Hands" when I first saw the previews last year. I finally saw it on TV and it wasn't like I thought it would be. I thought it was just gonna be a comedy movie, but it combines horror and comedy. A pot smoker's hand gets possessed to where he can't con... read moretrol it. He gets tired of killing everybody he sees, so he cuts it off and it gets loose on the streets. They have to find it and kill it any way they can.
    I recommend anybody who likes comedy or horror movies to watch "Idle Hands." It has good acting and it does have a few funny parts such as when he throws the cat out of the window. There's only one thing I didn't understand about the movie. Why did Anton's 2 pot smoking friends come back alive and the other people didn't? Overall, this is a decent movie and it's original. NOTE: That was my Amazon review from the year 2000. Yeah, still the same, neat movie but nothing real special.
  • LitelBluHli
    April 20, 2009
    LitelBluHli
    I just saw it again for the second time after 7 or 8 years? I appreciate it much more! It was better than the first time. Was it even popular back then?
  • rezpatriot
    January 31, 2008
    rezpatriot
    Funny film due Halloween party night.
  • jagfire
    January 22, 2008
    jagfire
    I remember watching this on TV a few years ago and some parts had my stomach hurting from laughter.
  • sanjurosamurai
    November 23, 2007
    sanjurosamurai
    back when jessica alba was hotter
  • gatorgirl13
    July 13, 2007
    gatorgirl13
    This was just damn creepy but it was a good movie.
  • drblood
    June 24, 2007
    drblood
    It's fun to a point, and certain to be a popular Halloween hit with its intended teenage audience.

View All Idle Hands Reviews

Critic Reviews

Jeff Millar
July 21, 2005
Jeff Millar, Houston Chronicle

Maybe 90 seconds of viable and sustained humor at the end. Full Review

Liam Lacey
March 22, 2002
Liam Lacey, Globe and Mail

Its mixture of slapstick humour and gore -- produced by the flying fingers -- gives new meaning to the phrase digital effects. Full Review

Lawrence Van Gelder
January 1, 2000
Lawrence Van Gelder, New York Times

Even pretensions toward the humorous and hip cannot save this blood-drenched film from its innate tastelessness! Full Review

Owen Gleiberman
January 1, 2000
Owen Gleiberman, Entertainment Weekly

Dumb, blood-soaked, undeniably kinetic teen Guignol bash! Full Review

Jonathan Foreman
January 1, 2000
Jonathan Foreman, New York Post

A disastrous attempt to mix comedy and horror!

Kevin Maynard
January 1, 2000
Kevin Maynard, Mr. Showbiz

A lame-ass horror comedy!

Sean Means
January 1, 2000
Sean Means, Film.com

Proof that when moral crusaders come to hang Hollywood, Hollywood will supply the rope!

Desson Thomson
January 1, 2000
Desson Thomson, Washington Post

A heavy-handed disappointment saturated in tired movie blood. Full Review

Susan Stark
January 1, 2000
Susan Stark, Detroit News

Excruciatingly unfunny! Full Review

Bob Graham
January 1, 2000
Bob Graham, San Francisco Chronicle

When a movie sets out to be awful and achieves its goal, does that make it a success? Full Review

Critic ratings and reviews powered by RottenTomatoes.com

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Idle Hands Trivia

  • What 1999 movie starred Devon Sawa, Seth Green, and Jessica Alba?  Answer »
  • Angels and Airwaves and Former Blink 182 lead singer Tom Delonge played a Fast food worker in what movie?  Answer »
  • In the film idle hands, Anton Tobias (Devon sawa) uses what item to kill Mick (Seth Green)?  Answer »
  • This film stars Devon Sawa, Seth Green and Jessica Alba. What is it?  Answer »
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