Slither

Director - James Gunn (Guardians of the Galaxy, Super)
Starring - Nathan Fillion (Firefly, The Guild), Elizabeth Banks (The Hunger Games, Zack and Miri Make a Porno), and Michael Rooker (The Belko Experiment, The Walking Dead)
Release Date - 2006
Genre - Horror/Comedy
Tagline - "Slug it out"
Format - Bluray (Personal Collection) (Screener)

Rating (out of 5):

     I like movies that a lot of people typically don't.  I grew up watching shitty horror movies on VHS and that love spiraled into what I am now.  I love movies that are fun and fuck gore flicks that have no fucking stories or characters that are memorable.  Gore for the sake of gore is boring as fuck but these seems to be the films that people love.  When I graduated high school in 2005 I had a close circle of friends.  We liked the same films for the most part but there was some exceptions.  In 2006 the James Gunn film Slither was released.  I was near Wal-Mart when I remembered it was Tuesday so I rushed in and couldn't find a copy.  I left and was able to track one down in FYE.  I really enjoyed the film but my friends did not.  I loved it so much I made a thread for it in the UHM forums where I got ripped to shreds.  Some fans tried to defend the film but there was too many haters.  A decade has passed and Scream Factory released the movie on blu.  I couldn't pass this release up so I reached out to them and they were kind enough to send a review copy my way.  Thanks guys!

     The film follows a small country town that uses their prime location for hunting as a tourist stop.  Things take a dark and disgusting turn when a meteorite falls to Earth and is discovered by Grant Grant (Rooker).  When he approaches the meteorite something shoots out of it and buries itself in his chest before making its way to his brain.  He then sets out on turning some into breeders, who are the host to slug like creatures until they mature and burst out of their host, or zombie like people who are controlled by the slug.  Grant's wife, Starla (Banks), partners with her childhood friend and chief of police Bill Pardy (Fillion) to stop Grant from taking over the world after their small town falls victim to his slugs.

     I love Slither and I credit that film with why I am a fan of Gunns.  His work for Troma, Slither, Super, PG Porn, and so on are all fantastic films that show he deserves the recognition that he only recently obtained.  I can also see why Slither gets shit on.  The CGI is very dated and stands out now after watching it again after all these years.  The acting in this one is fucking fantastic.  We get a very fun performance from Michael Rooker who plays a character that completely changes his personality as the film roles on.  The loving husband obsessed with his wife is quickly transformed into an insatiable creature after meat.  He made the role fun and that transpires onto the screen.  I really enjoyed Nathan Fillion as well.  He is a name that I always expected greatness from but he just hasn't caught the break I think he deserves.  He is an amazing talent and always makes any movie he is apart of even more enjoyable.  Slither is no exception.  Fillion brought his humor and gave the film so great laughs.  Elizabeth Banks is a crush of mine.  She is funny and absolutely gorgeous but I feel like she wasn't fully utilized in the film.  She is a strong actress and I expected her role to reflect that.  She did a solid job as a simple country bumpkin but seeing her in other films makes me wonder what could have been.  The story for this one is a great nod to classic aliens films from the past like Night of the Creeps.  The film pays homage to films like John Carpenter's The Thing and Night of the Creeps.  So much so that some can argue that these films inspired Slither.  The film has a great pace and has enough going on with each scene to hold the viewer attention.  Finally, the film is a practical effects feast.  It does use a large amount of CGI that is far from perfect but the practical effects is what makes this film so much fun.  The kills are amazing and they work practical effects into any and every scene.  Overall, Slither is a fantastic horror comedy.  It has one hell of a cast and some gruesome effects.  I can't recommend this film enough.  If you have yet to see it or on the fence about it please do yourself a favor and check it out.