The article critiques the film 'Steamboat Killer,' a horror spin-off leveraging the expired copyright of Disney's classic Mickey Mouse. Directed by Steven LaMorte, the film features a grotesque version of Mickey that wreaks havoc, lacking the charm of the original. Despite an attempt to invoke nostalgia through references, the execution falls flat with poor lighting and uneven performances. Observations reveal that while gore enthusiasts may be satisfied, the film fails to engage a wider audience or inspire substantive conversations about copyright reforms.
Its mock Mickey is a genetically modified super-violent pipsqueak, let loose from the sewers by blundering engineers; rather than the jaunty steamboat his predecessor commandeered, he wreaks murderous havoc.
LaMorte notionally expands the scope of his non-satirical attack by having the critter's victims mouth familiar Magic Kingdom phrases.
Amid a number of Sharknado-level performances, Thornton gives his Mickey a certain bouncy malevolence but we get the idea after only a few.
One point in favour of these cheap-and-cheerless cash-ins: they may yet radicalise a generation of sleepover attenders to pursue ways of toughening up copyright law.
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