Hold the Fort Review: Assault on Precinct 13 Meets Cabin in the Woods (Fantasia 2025)

William Bagley’s “Hold the Fort” Premieres at Fantasia—and All Hell (Literally) Breaks Loose!

It’s always exciting when a new horror-comedy dares to push genre boundaries while embracing a proudly absurd spirit, and Hold the Fort, William Bagley’s sophomore feature following The Murder Podcast (2021), certainly fits the bill. World-premiering at Montreal’s Fantasia International Film Festival, this gory suburban satire marks a significant tonal shift for Bagley. While his debut was rooted […]

FILM REVIEW: Hold the Fort

Welcome to Fright Club! A hilarious horror comedy with snappy dialogue and over the top gore is always a good time and 'Hold the Fort' delivers everything it advertises.

Fantasia 2025 Review: HOLD THE FORT, A Suburban HOA Hilariously Fends Off Demons From Hell

The 2025 edition of the Fantasia International Film Festival got off to a hell of a start with the opening day world premiere of William Bagley’s suburbanites vs. monsters from hell horror comedy, Hold the Fort. Freshly christened homeowners, Lucas (Chris Mayers) and Jenny (Haley Leary) are in for the night of their lives when they learn that their HOA does quite a bit more than simply measure the growth of the neighborhood lawns and admonish th…

FANTASIA INTERVIEW: Sharp Satire and Gleeful Gore — ‘HOLD THE FORT’ Sets Horror-Comedy Ablaze with Hellfire

Horror-comedies featuring ragtag, hapless crews of suburbanites going toe-to-toe with the supernatural have become a mainstay in the indie scene. But Hold the Fort, the latest brainchild from director William Bagley (The Murder Podcast), elevates the genre with a wickedly funny meditation on life’s absurdity, told through a lens that’s as grotesque as it is […]

Hold the Fort Review: Assault on Precinct 13 Meets Cabin in the Woods (Fantasia 2025)

Owning a home is hell, especially when dealing with your HOA. In William Bagley’s Hold the Fort, which just had its world premiere last night at the Fantastia International Film Festival, it takes that motif literally. This charming indie horror movie hits the ground running and doesn’t make the audience wait for its bazaar of creatures to make themselves known. With a sharp wit at its disposal and some gags that you’ve definitely never seen bef…

Hold the Fort (Fantasia) Review: A Silly Horror Comedy That Works

PLOT: Follows Lucas and Jenny, who think their life is finally coming together when the couple becomes homeowners. Little do they know that their new house comes with a big catch. Lucas and Jenny soon find themselves in a fight for their lives when they become trapped in a battle between their Homeowners Association and an onslaught of monsters from hell. REVIEW: As Fantasia 2025 kicks off, I’m happy to say that the first film (for me at least) …