Hold the Fort Review: HOA Nightmares (Fantasia 2025)
William Bagley's HOLD THE FORT is a hilarious horror comedy examining the pros and cons of joining an HOA.
One of the most reliable horror tropes of the past few decades has been “didn’t read the contract, and things go off the rails.” It works because it is entirely relatable. Most of us are busy and don’t take the time to fully read the numerous contracts that we sign. In his latest horror comedy Hold the Fort, writer and director William Bagley takes that idea and ties it to the negative feelings many have about Home Owners’ Associations (HOA) to hilarious effect.
Lucas (Chris Mayers) and Jenny (Haley Leary) have made the move from the city out to the suburbs. They are excited about being homeowners, but Jenny has some concerns about being a part of an HOA. When they are invited to an equinox party, Jenny is a bit hesitant, but Lucas is ready to become an active part of the community. But when they arrive, and the HOA president, Jerry (Julian Smith), begins handing out weapons, they quickly realize that this is no typical suburban neighborhood, but rather one that exists on top of a portal to hell.
Hold the Fort is the opposite of a slow-burn movie, instead, it jumps into the action right away. And while there isn’t significant character development happening in this 74-minute film, there is enough that when death comes for at least a few characters, there is an emotional impact.
From the opening moments, we get a sense that something is amiss in the neighborhood. When Lucas is out for his morning jog, he sees a lot of the usual affectations of suburban life, but he also sees deliveries of weapons and ammunition that key us into the idea that this town has something going on beyond the regular concerns about grass length and front door colors.
The script for Hold the Fort is simple, but the jokes work. Much of this is due to some really fantastic performances. Smith is so committed to his role as the buttoned-up HOA president that it’s hard to believe that he’s not actually working in that role. Tordy Clark is hilarious as the stoner neighbor, Leslie, baking treats to help soothe the nerves of the warriors. Hamid-Reza Benjamin Thompson as McScruffy brings so much chaotic energy to this killer-for-hire character. And Levi Burdick is excellent as Ted, the long-time member of the community.
The horror is definitely played primarily for laughs, but that doesn’t mean that it’s not well-executed. There are some great monsters in this, and there is a good balance of monster kills and human kills. Bagley manages to keep the action going without the film feeling so frantic that the viewer feels overwhelmed and tunes out. There is a box of weapons and it would have been fun to see that explored a bit more with some of the different monsters, but even without that, there are plenty of fight sequences that delight.
The social commentary in Hold the Fort is pretty limited, but it exists. The idea that an annual fight with creatures from the bowels of hell is preferable to paying property taxes certainly has some deeper implications. But the film also points out the value of getting to know your neighbors and the ways that these relationships can make the daily grind a bit more tolerable.
Ultimately, Hold the Fort is a hilarious horror-comedy. If you thought your HOA was a nightmare, this movie says, “Hold my moonshine.”
Rating: 3.5/5
Hold the Fort had its premier at Fantasia 2025 on July 16, 2025.