What truly makes a film “so bad it’s good” as opposed to just bad? Ever sinceMystery Science Theater 3000became a cult favorite, there’s been a growing fascination in certain circles with intended passion projects that manage to gain an audience for unintended reasons. To name just two, 1960s Z-movie directorEd Wood became infamousforPlan 9 From Outer Space, unofficially declared “the best worst movie of all time,” while in the last two decades, wannabe auteur Tommy Wiseau created an outright cultural phenomenon inThe Room.
But what makes films like these two so memorable, as opposed to every otherSharknadoinstallment, is the sincerity in the work behind them. Wood and Wiseau never intended to be in on the joke; they made personal projects they passionately believed were masterpieces, even though their filmmaking knowledge as a whole was limited.
As such, works likePlan 9orThe Roomqualify as “outsider art,” showing ignorance or outright disdain of mainstream convention, making them so appealing to cult audiences. AndNeil Breen, whose latest work,Cade: The Tortured Crossing, is seeing a gradual nationwide release, may be the first real successor to their “so bad it’s good” throne.
The Breenius of Neil
Since 2005, Neil Breen has written, directed, produced, and starred insix feature films, most of the early ones financed independently through side jobs as an architect and real estate agent. However, since the following for Breen’s work has rapidly grown over the years, he’s increasingly turned to crowdfunding to support his work.
And since he refuses to work within mainstream Hollywood, he’s proven to be one of the most unlikely examples of an independent filmmaker able to make a name for himself. Not only does Breen himself fill most of the roles on his sets (location manager, catering, music, legal services, etc.), but he regularly uses Craigslist ads to find his actors and negotiates directly with the theaters that screen his movies. Clearly, the man cares deeply about his work and works tooth and nail to ensure success.
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As for the actual content of his films, there are several recurring plot and thematic ideas Breen explores. Typically, his movies focus on supernatural events, science-fiction parables, or government conspiracies and bemoanings of corporate greed run amuck. Usually, a messianic figure (always played by Breen himself) becomes involved to save humanity from their sins.
Unquestionably, Neil Breen has the vision for a great film in his head. The problem is always in the execution, with his good intent undone by incoherent plots, heavy-handed moralism,and laughable acting. Nonetheless, it’s impossible to deny the passion with which Breen approaches his work, and the sincerity, much like withPlan 9 From Outer SpaceandThe Room, is what has helped his fanbase rapidly grow over the years.
The Tao of Cade
Breen’s newest work,Cade: The Tortured Crossing, is every bit the unintentional laugh-riot slash clumsy labor of love that his fans have come to expect. It’s also his first sequel, following his 2018 workTwisted Pair, which focused on identical twin brothers Cade and Cale (both played by Breen) modified with artificial intelligence as children, facing off for the soul of mankind. Thankfully, if you haven’t seen the first installment, that won’t be a detriment toCade, as you’ll be confused by the incoherent plotting regardless.
In the sequel, good twin Cade has restored an old mental asylum, seeking to train the patients to learn mystical powers so that they’ll join his fight for humanity as his warriors. Cale also resurfaces, abducting the patients before his brother can get to them and trafficking them for illegal gene therapy experiments. What Cale stands to gain from this is never really made clear.
What follows is the cinematic equivalent of a fever dream, where bizarre things happen with no rhyme, reason, or regard for coherent storytelling. Approximately fifteen minutes (that feels closer to forty-five) are devoted to repetitive sequences of patients at the asylum being tested on. Almost every scene is laughably green-screened with effects that might look acceptable in a high school class. An angelic spirit appears and transforms into a white tiger without warning. A training montage of the patients inexplicably turns into a dance sequence straight out ofRRR.
And yet the film is not boring for even a second. Unlike Tommy Wiseau postThe Room, it’s clear thatBreen refuses to winkto the audience, as the entire proceedings are played completely straight and sincerely. Breen believes in his story and his intended mythological battle between the forces of good and evil.
The film is simplybizarre; the abysmal green-screen effects and opaque plotting create a dissociative, dreamlike state that would make David Lynch proud. The sheer bafflement is simply part of the ride; speaking from personal experience, the movie saw a sold-out showing, with a crowd applauding throughout, leading to one of the best theater experiences available.
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Ever since the popularity ofThe Roompeaked with the critically acclaimed biopic about Tommy Wiseau,The Disaster Artist, trash pandas have been eagerly awaiting the new successor to Ed Wood as the king of “so bad it’s good.” And Neil Breen, as evidenced byCade, seems primed to take that throne and deservedly.
Unlike too many other schlockbusters, it refuses to be in on the joke, and the sincerity and personal touch Breen infuses it with ensures an unforgettable viewing experience. As with the best “so bad it’s good” classics,the hilarity comes from the disparitybetween the intent and the execution, and any lover of outsider art will not regret seeing it in a packed house for even a second.
