'Bladez' Review: A Ridiculous and Entertaining Comedy Short
By Elliot Lines - October 15, 2026
There was a time when comedies weren't afraid to be completely ridiculous, throwing any sense of realism out of the window in favour of exaggerated characters, absurd situations and jokes that didn't always need to make sense. It's something that feels a little lost in modern comedy, but Dustin Muenchow's Bladez certainly has no intention of taking itself seriously. This 17-minute short embraces the campy nature of classic teen comedies, combining rollerblading, teenage rivalries and an incredibly bizarre premise into something that feels like it has been pulled straight out of the 90s.
What is Bladez about?
Bladez follows Trish (Alyssa Sabo), Life’s hard if you’re a teen! Especially for Trish! Her Mom left the family for a cruise ship comedian and her Dad has health problems from eating too much pasta. Her only hope is to reconnect with rollerblading in order to win tacos for life for her family. The problem is her rival Sheila isn’t going to make that easy! She has to balance all this while trying to win over the heart of the hottest boy in town named Kevin. She can’t forget blading in the juice of life, and Trish has to find it in herself to remember that truth!
What makes Bladez work is just how committed everyone involved is to the sheer ridiculousness of the whole thing. From the exaggerated performances to the increasingly absurd situations, Muenchow clearly understands the type of comedy he is trying to create. Alyssa Sabo is undoubtedly the standout, taking on multiple roles and bringing a completely different energy to each character. There's a deliberate over-the-top quality to her performances that suits the material, particularly when it comes to the rivalry between Trish and Sheila. The humour certainly won't be for everyone, and there are moments where the jokes feel a little too forced, but there's something quite refreshing about a film that is so unapologetic in its approach.
The film also makes good use of its short runtime, rarely allowing the pace to slow as it moves from one ridiculous scenario to another. Muenchow's background in editing is evident in the way the comedy is put together, with quick transitions, energetic camerawork and some clever staging helping to elevate what could have easily felt like an extended sketch. The colourful presentation adds to that nostalgic feeling, bringing to mind the exaggerated world of late 90s and early 2000s teen television. However, the constant barrage of jokes does occasionally work against it. Not every gag lands, and there are times when the film could benefit from allowing its characters a little more breathing room rather than immediately moving on to the next punchline. That said, the deliberately chaotic approach is also part of its charm, and it's difficult to criticise a film too harshly for fully embracing the style of comedy it sets out to deliver.
Bladez is a wonderfully silly little short that makes no apologies for its absurd premise or exaggerated humour. Dustin Muenchow has created something that feels like a throwback to a particular era of comedy, where ridiculous characters and increasingly unlikely situations were all part of the fun. It won't appeal to everyone, and some of the humour is certainly hit-and-miss, but there's enough creativity and genuine fun here to make Bladez an entertaining 17 minutes.
'Bladez' had its world premiere at the 2026 LA Shorts International Film Festival.
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Elliot Lines
Founder - Lead Editor
Elliot loves to surround himself with all things movies. Whether that be his movie related LEGO collection or enough Blu-rays to restart blockbuster.
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