The Bitch is Hardcore
Comedy and Horror Make Slither Shine

The line between comedy and horror is a fine one, but it's difficult to find a horror film that makes people laugh while simultaneously keeping them in suspense. It's probably an exaggeration to say that Slither is one of the best films of the year. It does have one thing going for it, however. It's the best at what it tries to be.

Slither
Starla (Elizabeth Banks) comes face-to-face with the mutated slug creature in the horror comedy Slither. (Universal, 2006)
Directed by: James Gunn
Written by: James Gunn
Starring: Nathan Fillion, Elizabeth Banks, Gregg Henry, and Michael Rooker

Rated R (for strong horror violence and gore, and language)
Running time: 95 min.

FilmGuru's Rating : 9 out of 10.

Slither is a throwback to the days of alien invasion movies. The sleepy little town of Wheelsy is hit by a meteor, from which comes a slug-like creature that infects the first human to come along. As the man mutates, a chain of events takes place. The infected man impregnates a woman, who in turn gives birth to thousands of slithering slug creatures. These slugs enter into people and take over their bodies, turning them into walking zombies. But there's more to Slither than just a weird science fiction tale.

This film, from writer/director James Gunn, is also a comedy. Despite the insane, other-worldly terrors that are occurring, the characters react with a morbid humor. They don't exactly laugh at death, it's more like they understand the strange situation and accept it for what it is. When the sheriff's office starts referring to a killer as a squid (against the mayor's protests), they use little squid cartoons to pin-point on a map where the suspect was last seen.

The strength of the film comes from the characters who inhabit the town. The mayor (Gregg Henry) is an unlikable, foul-mouthed jerk. The local sheriff, Bill Pardy (Nathan Fillion), grew up there and has been carrying a torch for the school teacher, Starla (Elizabeth Banks). Starla is married to Grant (Michael Rooker), a possessive and uncaring older man. It's a bit of a soap opera, but that's what makes the characters three-dimensional. They are not just moving scenery. They have their own stories and they become real.

The hero of the story, of course, is the sheriff. Fillion, who has become a cult hero among the sci-fi crowd thanks to Firefly and Serenity, plays his role perfectly. Sheriff Pardy is a slow-tempered but quick-witted man. His dry humor is essential to the film. When he is rescued by a local girl while being attacked by a zombified deer, he thanks her. But even in the midst of chaos, he has an ego to protect. He promises that when he tells the story, it will be the other way around (with him rescuing her).

In an unlikely turnaround, Starla becomes much more than a victim in the film. Her personal connection to the mutated slug creature forces her into a central role. Rather than becoming just another "scream queen," Banks plays a character who fights back against the monster. Like the mayor says when he sees her repeatedly stabbing a zombie, "The bitch is hardcore."

The special effects are perfect for this movie, combining some slippery-CGI slugs with the make-up effects needed to bring the mutated slug creature to life. Some of the effects are disgusting, others are almost comical (and justified in being so). In the end, the horror aspect is nearly outweighed by the comedy. Even so, it's still gross. The buckets of blood, slime, and other fluids are sure to upset some stomachs.

Within minutes of the start of the film, I knew that Slither was going to become a favorite of mine. The comedy and horror blend together in a great story that combines space aliens and zombies. This is a fan's dream, and a guaranteed featured DVD when it comes out in our store.