★★ out of ★★★★★
🩸out of 🩸🩸🩸🩸🩸
Directed by Alice Maio Mackay.
This is a film that is definitely on the right side of history. It also contains a sharp and laser-focused social commentary around LGBTQ+ justice. T Blockers also puts forth a poignant and editorialized storyline that sadly is undone by a wild lack of focus. Even at an hour and 14 minute run time, and with a varied series of storylines, the film still felt long.
The film, which vacillates between zombies, a love story, social justice, fascists, and a film within a film, focuses on a young filmmaker Sash VO (Joni Ayton-Kent) and a series of wild and poetic monologues from Australian drag performer, Etcetera Etcetera.
Sash VO is in the middle of making a film, making ends meet working at a local theater, and wandering through countless scenes of drugs, drinking, and debaucherous tomfoolery. In fact, a good third of the movie is spent watching Sash VO slither through dreamy drug-induced states.
As Sash VO fights against the growing fascism surrounding transgender rights, she’s also dealt with intolerant zombies who are unlike their George Romero progenitors. In what amounts to a metaphor that’s way too on the nose, the zombies have decided to target Sash VO and her pals. Problem is, it’s entirely unclear where these zombies come from or where they are going. Contaminated sludge? Unsafe drinking water? An earthquake? Transported from the film within the film? To be sure, they’re fascists, but beyond that, their zombie universe is very unclear.
T Blockers, which obviously refers to the testosterone blockers for transgender women, is a mysterious pile of film work. There are certainly some resonant ideas and social justice issues that needed, nay, are required to be brought to light — but as it stands T Blockers lacks much cohesion as it wanders between too many topics…and the aforementioned film within a film.
Sash VO and her pals turn in fair performances that are paired with a handful of interesting ideas, but when taken together, T Blocker’s limited budget and filmmaking experience really shows through. The use of Etcetera Etcetera as the narrator of the film within a film is pretty exciting, but when mushed together with the zombie story, the film falls incredibly flat.
While much of the filmmaking rang hollow, the film does connect with audiences, and maybe that’s really the point. Between the cringey bits, punching fascists in the face, dealing with trans chasers, and Etcetera Etcetera’s monologues, many will find something to like in 2023’s T Blockers.
T Blockers had its premiere at the Portland Horror Film Festival and is not yet available for streaming.