A potent mind-roasting drug called Soy Sauce opens up a portal to an alternate dimension that threatens to destroy mankind and the universe. It's up to the laid-back David (likeable Chase Williamson) and his deceased buddy John (the equally amiable Rob Mayes) to save the world before it's too late.

Writer/director Don Coscarelli relates the delightfully bonkers story at a constant pace, maintains an inspired screwball tone throughout, delivers a wondrous wealth of super cool and surreal moments as well as all sorts of gnarly creepy-crawly beasts, and further spices things up with a wickedly funny sense of quirky black humor. Moreover, it's acted with zest by an enthusiastic cast: Paul Giamatti as skeptical reporter Arnie Blondestone, Clancy Brown as smooth mentalist Dr. Albert Marconi, Glynn Turman as a no-nonsense detective, Doug Jones as the helpful Roger North, Fabienne Therese as the sweet, but mopey Amy, Daniel Roebeck as the gloriously flamboyant Largeman, and Jonny Weston as the possessed Justin White. Angus Scrimm has a hilarious cameo as foul-mouthed priest Father Shellnut. The sharp cinematography by Mike Gioulakis boasts all kinds of snazzy and hallucinatory visual flourishes. Best of all, this genuinely singular film has an idiosyncratic sensibility to it that ensures that it's both highly entertaining and wildly unpredictable from start to finish. A total trippy blast.

"John Dies at the End" is not a film for everyone. It's incredibly strange, practically impossible to describe and has no conventional plot elements. It's really like combining "Bill & Ted's Bogus Journey", "Men in Black" an "Evil Dead" film and lots of LSD. It's incredibly strange and trippy...and something conventional film viewers probably won't enjoy. As for me, I enjoyed it once I stopped trying to understand it!

The story is a bizarro tale of Dave and his friend, John and their weird lives once they try a weird drug they dub 'soy sauce'. Once it's in their systems, they get caught up in a weird battle between parallel worlds and none of it makes the least bit of sense. What follows is one weird CGI explosion after another--and I do recommend you try it if you have a high capacity for the strange. I would try to say more...but this film truly defies description though it does look like the filmmakers possibly intended to make sequels.

There're a lot of great crazy ideas coming from the comic horror novel of the same name. There's enough weirdness and crazy visual to make Cronenberg proud. A drug called Soy Sauce has some weird effects. Then there's a Jamaican who seems to read your mind. John and David has to figure out what's happening with the help of Amy's missing hand.

The first half has some amazing things happening. It'll leave you scratching your head while keeping your eyes locked on the screen. It's not obvious what's going on, but strange apparitions keep coming.

The lead actor Chase Williamson is not the most charismatic actor around. It would be so much better to have a recognizable actor in the role. Paul Giamatti needs to find somebody on his contacts.

The second half is way too much. It goes to another set of explanations where it rushes through a whole lot of story. Somebody is obviously trying to jam a big book into an indie movie. It's way too ambitious. The story loses cohesion and collapses from story overload.