I love horror films set in America that are written and/or directed by European creators who clearly learned English as a second language. They never seem to fully grasp how Americans actually talk and behave. So the films end up containing bizarre dialogue, ridiculous line-readings, and truly unusual characters. Juan Piquer Simón's Slugs is one such film. Based on the novel by the same name by Shaun Hutson, Slugs concerns a small town overrun by giant, carnivorous black slugs. Mutated by exposure to dumped toxic waste, the slugs multiply by the millions in the town's sewer system until they begin to attack the townsfolk. The plot is rather standard: a health inspector figures out what is happening yet finds himself incapable of getting the police and town authorities to do anything. Where Slugs shines is in its truly exceptional special effects. Some of the gore scenes are truly astonishing. One scene where a businessman literally erupts at a fancy restaurant after unknowingly eating a salad full of the slugs is particularly stomach-churning. Of course, there are also death scenes that are so insane that they become immediately endearing. My favorite involved an elderly couple who are attacked by the slugs in their garden. Somehow the scene ends with their garden erupting into a giant fireball. Does it make sense? No. Is it entertaining? Certainly!
6/10
No comments:
Post a Comment