Slugs: The Movie

aka Slugs, Muerte Viscosa

Director - Juan Piquer Simon (The Pod People)

Starring - Michael Garfield (The Warriors), Kim Terry (The Anarchist Cookbook), and Philip MacHale (Dark Angel)

Release Date - 1988

Genre - Horror

Tagline - "They slime, they ooze, they kill" and "No one is safe"

Format - Streaming (Netflix)

Favorite Quote - "You don't have the authority to declare happy birthday"

Rating (out of 5):

     One evening I was flipping through Netflix and ran across this film.  Normally I don't like bug and animal horror films.  There is a few of those type of films that I do like but for the most part I don't.  Anyway, I saw this movie and decided I would have a bug and slug night.  I wanted to watch Ticks and The Nest again and this finally gave me the reason.

     The film opens with a drunk finding a dog and taking it home with him.  Once in his home something attacks him.  The local police and the health inspector, Mike Brady (Garfield), discover what is left of his body.  When bodies start being discovered, and mutilated, the sheriff does not believe the health inspector that they are the results of slug attacks.  Mike is able to capture one of the slugs and takes it to a biology teacher who just happens to be an expert on slugs.  After running some tests they discover that the slugs are, in fact, carnivorous and also poisonous.   A sewer worker, Don Palmer (MacHale), has been finding the remains of small animals and team up with Mike.  The slug expert deducts that the best place for the slugs to strive would be in the sewers.  The pair find out that the area near the sewer was actually a toxic waste dump before being filled in.  Some how the toxic waste mutates the slugs in to the monstrosities.  The expert also discovers a chemical that makes the slugs explode.  Mike and Don head down to the sewer to kill them but have minor complications and Don dies.  Mike is able to use the chemical to kill the slugs and most of the town explodes.  When it is all said and done the sheriff finally believes them.  

     I really liked this movie.  I usually find most "when nature attacks" films to be stupid, but this one is not.  The story is ludicrous but the filmmakers were able to make a entertaining film.  The acting is not the best but it is not the worst either.  The effects are great and so is the gore.  True gore hounds will definitely enjoy this one.  Most of the deaths are extremely bloody and gory and that is why horror junkies watch horror films.  What I did not like about the film was the ending.  Seems like I have been on a kick about that lately.  Anyway, the story runs its course only to end in a ball of fire.  I honestly think that with a better ending this movie would have received a better rating.  If you have Netflix then give it a go and if you don't then buy it.  Well worth the money.