Slither – 2006 – Comedy, Horror, Sci-Fi, Gore
Directed by: James Gunn
Written by: James Gunn
Main Players: Nathan Fillion; Elizabeth Banks; Michael Rooker; Gregg Henry; Jenna Fischer
Local Sheriff Bill Pardy (Fillion) must help the surrounding small town defend itself from an invading wormlike alien species which is running amok. The entertaining yet hapless townsfolk just want to drink and “Deer Cheer” the night away. Pardy teams up with ex-flame Starla (Banks) just as alien worm chaos “explodes.”
The townsfolk are mostly endearing characters, despite a few assholes in the mix. It does not take itself seriously, nor waste time with excess story. Slither is a goofy Sci-Fi slash horror slash comedy mashup which mixes all elements extremely well, as if purified in a blender. While it almost feels like an homage to low budget classic sci-fi adventures of the 50s and 60s, Slither finds its own voice due to sharp humor and splattering visual effects.
The story may be a mix of many other sci-fi plots, but the strong cast play their roles straight, despite some zany scenes and ridiculous lines. The result is a very fun time, soaked in surprisingly solid and practical special effects.
You do need to be able to handle some gross bits, or at least look away for a moment, but know that this really is a mostly comedic time.
See This If You Liked:
Tremors; Night of the Creeps; Attack the Block; Bubba Ho-Tep; Invasion of the Body Snatchers (1956; 1978); The Faculty; Feast; Dead Alive; Re-Animator; From Beyond; Planet Terror; Dawn of the Dead (1978; 2004); The Blob (1958; 1988)
Score:
8.0