There are so many sub-genres within horror cinema that you can find just about any horror movie to fit a specific mood you're in. Horror and comedy for instance are the perfect examples of two extremes in film genres that one wouldn't think would work together but every now and then a movie does it. Striking the right tone is the key. Many horror/comedies don't work because the tone is off or the film doesn't know which it wants to be. Finding one's audience too can be tricky too. For horror/comedies sometimes the horror fans can be put off by the jokes and sometimes comedy fans can be put off by the horror. A tricky blend to be sure.
A film that manages this difficult mix rather well is SLITHER. Directed by James Gunn, long before he did Guardians of the Galaxy, this movie manages not only horror and comedy but other elements as well all the while being an homage to horror films of the 1980's. This film is loaded with easter eggs to all things horror while simultaneously merely being a fun film to watch. Filled with fun actors like Nathan Fillion, Elizabeth Banks, Michael Rooker, and more, Slither has everything you need for a good time.
It's a movie by a fan for the fans.
THE PLOT
A meteorite carrying a small alien lands in the woods outside a small northern town. The alien infects a local man named Grant and begins growing and mutating inside him, taking him over. The alien, through Grant, begins infecting others in the town including a woman who eventually bursts with thousands of slug-like alien worms. The worms slither towards town, jumping down the throats of anyone crossing their path, and turning the townsfolk into zombie-like creatures. Grant's wife, Starla, police chief Bill, and a small band of others are all that stand in the aliens way towards total infestation.
THE GOOD
Monster Mayhem. The monster in this movie is grotesque. Michael Rooker plays Grant and slowly over the course of the film transforms into one of the most hideous creatures in all of cinema. The techniques employed to bring the monster to life range from practical effects to CGI and for the most part look very impressive. But Grant isn't the only monster in the film. The alien worms play a big role in the film, resembling crimson maggots, birthed from a human being ballooned to the size of the boulder at the beginning of Raiders of the Lost Ark. There are a range of zombified townsfolk and a re-animated deer. Not to mention a host of vomit-worthy shots of rotting meat, animal carcasses, and human ruin.
Gore and More. This movie is a call to a certain group of 80's horror films, films that didn't pull their punches and went for the throat. John Carpenter's THE THING being one of the biggest influences as well as Peter Jackson's DEAD ALIVE (Braindead), Sam Raimi's EVIL DEAD and EVIL DEAD II, Fred Dekker's NIGHT OF THE CREEPS, Dan O'Bannon's RETURN OF THE LIVING DEAD, Chuck Russell's THE BLOB, and many more. If you like any of these movies you'll like Slither. Slither has enough blood and guts to stand proudly next to these modern classics. It manages to capture the appropriate tone of these films too while never making fun of itself or the audience.
THE BAD
CGI Effects. This film has more things good going for it than bad. But there are a few CGI moments which look CGI compared to the convincing practical effects. Then there is the zombie-deer puppet which falls somewhat short. But you know what, these don't really hurt the film at all. If anything they add to the fun experience and enrich the homage feeling to the wanting effects of certain 80's horror movies (I know, they didn't have CGI in the 80's but you get what I mean). Sometimes a wanting effect helps establish a certain tone more effectively than a truly realistic looking effect.
THE VERDICT
If you love 80's horror gems like THE RE-ANIMATOR and classic monster movies then Slither delivers in spades. In the days of weak PG-13 horror or goreless ghost stories James Gunn supplies a judicious amount of disgusting spectacles, blood, guts, and R rated monster bliss. Nathan Fillion and the rest of the cast capture the fun esthetic of horror/comedies while keeping a serious face. A horror film for horror fans, you can enjoy Slither immensely on its own, but if you've seen Evil Dead II and The Thing and Night of the Creeps then the experience is all the more fulfilling.
Overall Ranking: 7 out of 10
Really Good! One worth owning.
Nude-O-Meter: 1 out of 10
For more horror comedies and horror films that inspired Slither check out these below!
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