Review: Pastacolypse 

This movie doesn’t abide by any rules, and that can be both a good and bad thing at times. While the chaotic and free-flowing narrative offers an enjoyable viewing experience with very few dull moments, the pacing and coherence of the story leave a lot to be desired. The opening 20 minutes showcases an assortment of flash-forwards and flashbacks that don’t seem necessary at all. In fact, the movie would have been much better off with a linear narrative to allow the action to take place more coherently. However, once the movie gets its footing, the frenetic pace contributes to the absurdity of the pasta hellscape being depicted on our screens. Viewers are transported to colorful locations with a heaping spoonful of creative noodle-based monstrosities. One thing is for certain, you probably haven’t seen many movies that feature equal amounts of blood and marinara sauce. 

There are oodles of impressive visuals throughout this film. From diabolical human and pasta hybrids to disgusting death sequences that never seem to repeat themselves, Pastacolypse does not fail to deliver. Although it’s obvious that Maiellaro has utilized what works for him and capitalizes on his Aqua Teen Hunger Force roots, he and his team have created a project that stands on its own legs and separates itself visually. The artwork and animation are very clean while still being somewhat reminiscent of animation in the early 2000s. 

Pastacolypse is one of the rare movies that could actually benefit from being a bit longer. At a crisp runtime of 1 hour and 10 minutes, it covers a lot of ground in a very short amount of time. Viewers are never allowed in one area long enough to really get a grasp on the world built by Maiellaro and company, which is a shame because there are some intriguing concepts and characters that pop up on screen throughout the film. An extra 20 minutes or so would have done wonders for this movie. Just enough time to explore a few of the storylines that weren’t cooked enough. Alfredo’s celebrity status is often hinted at, but viewers never see why. It would have been nice to see more of the Manicotti family and the world around them before all hell breaks loose. 

One of the strongest aspects of Pastacolypse are the characters. Every character feels fleshed out and well-defined with their own individual quirks. Alfredo never comes across as a pure villain or evil person. He is simply a deeply flawed person who just loves gluten more than his fellow man. Synder does an excellent job of giving personality to Alfredo and making him a believable villainous character. On the flip side, Holt brings a breath of fresh air with her performance as the bubbly and once-spoiled Emma. Although her character is given a standard and somewhat predictable arc, Holt voices her with an infectious energy that makes Emma easy to root for as she navigates the treacherous and starchy new world. But the biggest standout performances are turned in by Crawford and Harnell as twin brothers Chub and Halfway. They are as chaotically good as characters can get. It’s too bad that they were relegated to side characters because they are hilarious and could easily carry a movie on their own. 

Pastacolypse might be slightly undercooked, but there is certainly a lot to love about it. The characters are unique and eye-catching and the performances from the talented cast carry the somewhat underseasoned story. But even though this film doesn’t offer any surprises, it is an enjoyable watch with fantastic art direction and a snappy (perhaps a little too snappy) pace. Pastacolypse may not be for everybody, but for those willing to indulge in a carbo-loaded gore fest that includes a steady diet of pasta puns, this movie will be sure not to disappoint.