Slither (2006)

They're both thinking 'she's got a purdy mouth', you just KNOW it.

Genre: Horror Comedy Sci-Fi (USA, Canada)

Starring: Nathan Fillion (Serenity), Elizabeth Banks (The 40 Year Old Virgin)

Directed By: James Gunn (Dawn of the Dead (2004))

Overview: When an alien being climbs into a human, its breeding causes the town to transform. Can the law stop the infestation before it takes over the world?

Acting: You see the stupid little trailer on the internet and you know how bad this is going to be. It doesn't pretend to be a good remake of something classic, it's just plain old kitsch, and you go see it for the bad acting and stupid dialogue. Then you realize the people in this are genuinely spectacular, like Nathan Fillion, whose dry scathing wit is a masterpiece of sardonism. Then you frown, knowing that you can't crap all over this in your review. Instead you have to go and say something nice.
Rating: 8

Cinematography: The camerawork and lens effects dare to be good and professional, as though someone actually had a real budget to hire real people. On top of everything else, the makeup, CGI, gore and bloody latex has to go and set a new standard in quality. Who the hell do these people think they are?
Rating: 9

Script: This writer / director is way back from the days at Troma Films. These guys made the Toxic Avenger series and their stuff is ultra-low budget slapstick-gore. Troma productions are the kind of films that you see in private behind closed door, embarrassed to be a fan, but then you see it playing on a monitor years later at some underground bar and you get to feel all subculture cool.
Rating: 8

Plot: Finally something to mock. This movie starts exactly the same as The Blob, with the comet hitting the earth and attacking the first dude who pokes it with a stick. Then it turns into that "X-Files" episode which is just a rip off of The Thing where the bugs take over people's brains. From there we go into a pet attacking Ginger Snaps plot and quickly jump to Dawn of the Living Night of the Returning Dead. Then you realize who wrote this, and the ironic genius of the tribute to everything aforementioned sinks so deeply that you can't help but throw a hissy fit because it took a whole hour for you to get it.
Rating: 8

Mood: This is kitsch without being kitschy. It has all the memorabilia of all those old monster metamorphosis films, like The Fly, except instead of going and doing things as expected like a bad "Saturday Night Live" sketch that jokes about how NOT funny it is, this puts you in the nostalgia, but with some genuinely original content and some great dialogue, while also making you tense, wondering who'll live and who'll die. Jumps right down your throat!
Rating: 8

This guy is awesome! And so's his meat... I mean.. ah jeez.

Overall Rating: 82% (Let it Slither Its Way To Your Heart)

Aftertaste: This is one of those movies that will forever sit on the fence between good horror and Cult Classic. The budget is too high to be a Cult Classic (there's a certain amount of suffering and stupidity which must go into it before something becomes part of a Cult, just like the Moonies.) On the other hand, though frightening and ultra-professional, it's a comedy, and for that reason, it just won't be considered as anything more than a stupid make-out rental. However, this is better than most horror that comes out these days. Because it doesn't take itself seriously, it goes so far into the realm of self-mockery that it goes full circle and touches greatness. Think hard about not missing this.