What truly makes someone a villain? This is the question that writer-director duo Dan Berk and Robert Olsen indirectly pose in their newest film “Villains.” Other than a few poorly-received horror movies, the two haven’t done much to note, leading me to be a bit skeptical of their new film.

A colorful poster and Bill Skarsgård’s attachment to the project were the only things that really drew me into the film. Luckily, I found that this movie might be one of the most overlooked and underrated of the year.

Shortly after a string of petty robberies, young drugged-up couple Mickey and Jules set off to use the stolen money to move to Florida. When their car breaks down in the middle of nowhere, the two break into a nearby house to try to steal either a car or gas. After making an alarming discovery in the house’s basement, however, the two learn that the residents of the house may be more sinister than they first appear.

While the plot behind “Villains” might sound like one you’ve heard before, the film is able to capitalize on its lead actors’ strong performances to make it stand out from the crowd. Bill Skarsgård, Maika Monroe, Jeffery Donovan and Kyra Sedgwick are all outstanding in this film.

The quartet do so well that it is almost impossible to pick one that did better than the others.

Skarsgård and Monroe play the role of druggie lovers very genuinely. The two have amazing chemistry and I really believed that they were in love. Likewise, Donovan and Sedgwick also have great chemistry, truly feeling like a deranged married couple.

While the film may sell itself as thriller or horror, it is more of a comedy than anything else. Luckily, it’s a really good comedy.

I found myself constantly laughing at the insanity happening on screen while still gritting my teeth at the more gruesome stuff the film had to offer. This is to the credit of Berk and Olsen who wrote an outstanding screenplay and did a fantastic job directing.

The only things holding “Villains” back from being truly great were some clichés in the plot and some subpar cinematography. The entire film really felt like a student film to me. This isn’t necessarily an issue, as it felt like a really good student film, but it did feel a bit weird watching it at an actual theater.

Overall, “Villains” is a great time. It melds horror and comedy together incredibly well, making for a black comedy cult classic in the making. Without its stellar leads, however, the film might not have been able to hold my attention the way that it did. Luckily, the performances of Skarsgård, Monroe, Donovan and Sedgwick are enough to warrant giving the film a watch.

3.5/5 Stars