"… the film works because Hsu and Kun-Lin expertly deploy these (often heartfelt) conventions to great effect. They know exactly how to get audiences to invest emotionally in the characters’ relationship and the ending of the film is a genuine crowd pleaser in large part because we care so much about this ragtag team.

The other reason the film is such a success is because it is a textbook execution of a horror comedy: it is laugh out loud funny and surprisingly gory…

… Then there’s the film’s use of comedic sound effects, which includes cartoon boings and other Looney Tunes-esque audio cues. These elements effortlessly reinforce the film’s inherent silliness. Then add in a not-surprising but deliciously spot-on karaoke backstory for one character, a gag with a removable mustache, and the satire of the industrial work complex that rewards youth, ostentatious behaviour and a large social media following above all else. Dead Talents Society is plenty of fun, but it is also making some astute political commentary.

All of this is delivered in a highly energetic package by Hsu, who easily balances the film’s heartfelt character beats with the zany comedy. There are several sequences that play like a heist film as characters must execute their con on the living in order to successfully pull off a scare. The direction, sound effects and Shieh Meng Ju’s editing lends the film a zippy, high octane energy.

Overall Dead Talents Society is a genuine crowd-pleaser: it’s fun, funny, extremely clever and filled with lovable characters. It’s an instant horror comedy classic and one of the best genre films of the year…"