Written by: Ryan Dailey
On a good note, Screamboat knows what it is and embraces it. The film leans into it and never once tries to be something that it is not. There are some chuckle inducing, thinly veiled jabs at other Disney properties, as few and far between as they are.
Aside from this, the film is a prime example of “Just because we can, does not mean that we should,” territory.
In an alternate timeline or a perfect, parallel universe, the filmmakers opted to write and create a YouTube horror cartoon style piece that focuses on the Steamboat Willie aspect of the film. Said project could be shorter, more engaging and an all around better experience. On the flip side of that coin, The concept of a huge rat or other menace would be filmed in live action with either an all original creature or even the New York Pizza Rat mentioned in the film. It truly could have become C.H.U.D. 2 levels of awesome. The main plot would lend itself in a great way to an original IP. A creature that was experimented on, lost a love interest at sea, comes back for revenge. It is perfect low-budget horror movie fodder.
Instead, everyone involved decided to let public domain stifle their creativity.
Not that creativity runs rampant in this film, as even a majority of the kills can be seen in other movies.
Spoilers ahead.
The Captain is killed almost identical to The Hero in Feast. As the man tries to rouse the survivors to fight against the Gremlin-esque Screamboat Willie, He is stabbed in the neck from behind with a broken broom stick that is somehow lifesize when the other half, held by Screamboat Willie, is relative to his two foot tall frame.
On the topic of Gremlins, Said survivors are killed seconds after the afore-mentioned Captain in almost the exact same way Billy Peltzer deals with the Clamp Tower lobby full of Gremlins. For the two of you that don not get that reference, the survivors are dosed with water and mass electrocuted.
Not to mention that most of the exteriors shown on screen could have been “borrowed” from Friday the 13th Part 8: Jason Takes Manhattan.
While there are a handful of other “homages” to be found in Scream boat Willie, one of the most glaring is the ending of the film.
For some reason, the luxury cruise ship has a trunk that just so happens to contain a costume that turns our heroine into a 1930 version of a live action Minnie Mouse. At which point in the film, she turns into full on Mrs. Voorhees from the first Friday the 13th movie. She pulls the classic,”Hey! What’s that?’” and stabs Screamboat with a pair of scissors, which apparently was made by the same individuals that made the reality defying broom from earlier. Screamboat waves goodbye and waves “comically” as it falls overboard, the mis-proportioned, amazing shrinking scissors protruding from the back of its head.
Fin.
Or is it?
Nope. The real Minnie shows up at the end, somehow alive and somehow knowing that her love fell into a random tugboat hauling garbage.
If you have not seen a severed penis during an oral intercourse scene since Last House on the Left, check this film out on Peacock Plus Premium.
If you value your time, watch Critters, Goulies or Gremlins instead.
4 out of 10