Nerdly » ‘Debunkers, Inc.’ VOD Review

22nd Jul2020

‘Debunkers, Inc.’ VOD Review

by Chris Cummings

Stars: Josh Pinkowski, Izzy Pollak, Blake Kevin Dwyer, Nicole Dubois, Eilise Guilfoyle, Cayla Green, Tennyson Shanahan, Matthew Law, Suzana Norberg, Joe Paulson, Ryan Andrews | Written and Directed by Matt Thompson

[NOTE: With the film now out digitally in the UK, here’s a reposting of our review of Debunkers, Inc. from its US debut last year]

Directed by Matt Thompson (Night Sights) and written by Thompson too, with the story penned by Ryan Andrews, Debunkers, Inc is a family film about a group of amateur detectives who name themselves after their favourite gaming characters, such as Dr. Mario, Link and Snake. The group, known as the Debunkers, are solving some small-time mysteries until they get a big-time assignment that can finally make them.

Following three teenage boys and a girl, who, by the way, are the biggest, best and premier mystery solving business in their home town, we watch as they aim to figure out these various mysteries and it feels like watching the Scooby Gang in action. It’s very family-friendly as a film, and there’s plenty of cute and breezy stuff going on. It’s certainly the kind of movie you can throw on as a family on a quiet Saturday morning during breakfast and not worry about violence, bad language or anything offensive. I mean… it doesn’t break any ground and it’s not the best thing, but it certainly does have some positive things going for it amongst the bad bits. It’s just an easy-going kids detective caper with a dash of horror and a dollop of charm that pulls it up above being merely a lower-budget farce.

The bad bits? Well, aside from the corny and somewhat tepid storyline, the acting is a little over-the-top and daft, and it didn’t really work with the plot or tone that Thompson seemed to be going for. It’s an old-school sort of movie, with the kind of suspense and horror you’d let your kids watch, but wouldn’t exactly cut it for anyone else. I mean… that’s fine, this film isn’t really aimed at me. Its budget being low means it doesn’t always look the best, but it certainly doesn’t look bad either. It plays on the current fascination with nostalgia, feeling like a flick fresh out of the 90s. I enjoyed that aspect, that feeling that this was something that I might have randomly found on the video shop shelves in-between copies of Suburban Commando and The Sandlot.

It’s hard to rip on Debunkers, Inc , it’s fun, it’s a family movie that doesn’t do anything to hurt my feelings or make me reluctant to smile, but it also didn’t personally grab me. This would be fine for a group of kids to enjoy, with the little addition of tame horror added to spice things up a bit. Sure, the production isn’t the best, and the performances can be hit-or-miss, but it’s got heart and I’m sure the target demographic will get a little kick out of it.