Wheelsy is a small town where not much happens and everyone minds his own business. No one notices when evil slips in quietly but, when people find mutilated livestock and a woman goes missing, Sheriff Bill Pardy (Fillion) discovers an alien organism that threatens to devour all life on Earth.
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With the Halloween season upon us, it seemed like a good time to watch more horror films. But with so many to choose from, which to pick? I decided to go with something that wasn’t too scary quite yet, so decided on Slither, which seemed kind of goofy in the previews. Would it be the horror comedy I was looking for, or something else?
Nathan Fillion, known for sci fi (Firefly (TV)) and comedy (Dr. Horrible’s Sing-Along Blog) is one of the first cast members the viewer sees in Slither. His usual laid-back quick-with-a-grin attitude seems to be on full display, so the viewer is expecting a comedy. Then the viewers meet Elizabeth Banks, and they think they know what this film is going to be. And then things take a dark turn after Michael Rooker gets into some trouble. And these normal comedic actors are plunged straight into a gory horror flick. There is some comedy undertones, but the gore kind of takes over.
Surprisingly, the main cast – which also includes Gregg Henry – manage to play against type and fit right into the horror genre. It’s a bit of a shock, but when Slither goes to the gore, it doesn’t let up, and viewers are swept up in the gross. While the storyline is the typical “aliens invade” trope, the slimy speedy slugs up the gross-out factor another level. Just watching somebody swallow these slimy slugs gives the viewer a chill – and that’s only the start.
Director James Gunn – known today more for Guardians of the Galaxy and The Suicide Squad (not to mention now heading up the DC movie division) manages to shock viewers more than once in Slither. He manages to bring something new to the horror genre, while at the same time seeming to pay homage to classics like Invasion of the Body Snatchers and Night of the Living Dead. The creep factor is in full effect, and the gore literally explodes on the screen, making this a creepy tale that grabs the viewer and doesn’t let up.
And the special effects are there in Slither for every grimy detail. Whether it’s flesh-eating, flesh peeling or those nasty slugs worming their way through everything, the gore is vivid and almost too realistic. It keeps the creep factor way up, and doesn’t seem to miss out on any of the nasty details.
With a personable cast mostly playing against type, vivid gory details, and the tried and true alien invasion trope, James Gunn manages to make a film that seems to have an undercurrent of comedy even while probably creeping even the jaded viewer out. Slither is a solid entry in the horror genre, and unique enough to stand out from the crowd.
