Slither (2006)

[Scott]

SLITHER (2006) - This film was a mixer of things all roled up into an intense comedy that keep me saying "come on now". Starts off like THE BLOB (1958) then turns into SHIVERS (1975). The movie takes place in the South from which they target  much of the movies comedy material. Not what I was hoping to see tonight, but was entertaining enough. Probably will never watch it again. Kinda liked the mayors role as it reminded me of the warehouse manager in RETURN OF THE LIVING DEAD (1985).

  : 7 out of 10 Stars

[Andrew]

This is the next film on my "modern bad movies" list that I want to watch.  And, wow, that image you posted just reinforces the need to see it.  I am guessing that is someone infected and he is about to burst - pouring forth a huge deluge of alien brain leeches.

[Scott]

Andrew, don't want to give the scene away.  

The movie FEAST was all out tonight at Blockbuster, so we went with SLITHER.

[BeyondTheGrave]

I rented this recently from Netflix. While I enjoyed it it felt like a "one shot" movie. Nothing I see again either.

[Yaddo 42]

I went to this at the cheapo theater wanting to like it, and while there are elements I liked, it just rubbed me the wrong way after a while.

I'm used to homages to other films, actors, directors, plot elements etc. But this, like parts of KIll Bill had me playing "spot the influence" to the point that it took me out of the movie, which is not good.

I'm a Southerner who hates much of what I see and deal with here, and often the people I live around, but even I found parts of this insulting to Southerners. Hard to take afilm like this seriously, but it just seemed too much.

As a Firefly fan I liked Nathan Fillion, he was better than the material and some of his line readings almost elevated my enjoyment of the film, but only almost. After seeing this and other work of his, I'm convinced he should play "Slippery" Jim diGriz if they ever get around to actually making a film of The Stainless Steel Rat by Harry Harrison. Gregg Henry was a hoot as well, that guy should get to do more broad comedy.

Spoiler discussion to follow:



Related to the Southerner thing, my other real problem with the film was that I figured out really quick that the only characters who were going to live were the ones who actually hated their lot in life in the town and wanted out. If you weren't already p**sed off or unhappy with things when your character was introduced, you probably weren't going to make it. It came off like none of the other folks were worthy of living.

[Mr_Vindictive]

I had a few minor problems with the film, but overall I enjoyed it.  Fillion is great as always, and Rooker does a fantastic job as Grant Grant.  I wish they would have chosen a different actress for the Starla role though...didn't much like the actress in the film.

The film is at it's best anytime that Gregg Henry is on screen.  His rant about Mr. Pibb in the police car had me in stitches.  That man is comedy gold.



I posted a bit of a short review here:http://tinyurl.com/y4mzmd





*Reply To The Spoiler Discussion*

Yaddo, I'm a Southerner as well.  I didn't think that any of the characters really wanted out of the town.  Starla just wanted to be away from Grant Grant, not just out of the town in general.  Bill Pardy (Fillion) didn't really want to leave the town either, I don't believe.  I think they all just wanted something different in life, and were bored with their current situations.

[Scott]

Yaddo and Skaboi your right about the mayor being the best part of the film. Would you say that SLITHER was his best role? Does Gregg Henry have other good films and roles that we should know about and does he have any new films coming out? He's good as a side character.

[Mr_Vindictive]

Scott,

To be honest, the only other thing I remember Gregg Henry from is an episode of Firefly.  I believe it was the train robbery episode.  He was the mayor, or sherrif of a small town.  I'll have to go back and watch the episode.

I'm too lazy to look him up on the IMDB at the moment.   

[Yaddo 42]

I remember him from an episode of In the Heat of the Night where he was a smarmy rich boy IIRC, but nothing really to work with there.

I do remember him in Payback with Mel Gibson. He was the buddy who doublecrosses Porter, it was the update of the John Vernon role from Point Blank. He was good in that, plus there was a funny subplot with his girlfriend or steady hooker, a dominatrix played by Lucy Liu. When at one point Mel has the drop on them and wants to interrogate Henry, Liu offers to do it for him since she's a pro at it and knows what he likes and doesn't like.

[Scott]

Well, maybe one day Gregg Henry will get a great side role in some future legendary B type movie.

[Yaddo 42]

IMO he'd be a good hammy lead villain opposite say Bruce Campbell in a smart tongue-in-cheek action flick or say a self-aware pop culture themed film in the vein of say Buckaroo Banzai or Big Trouble in Little China or the Austin Powers films.

[peter johnson]

Okay, will ANYTHING work on this site for me?
I think I have a squid up and running -- a homage to Squishy, who used to post here, who I got so p.o.'d at . . .
is this green?  I asked for green . . .
IN ANY CASE--
We watched this this weekend for Cheese Fest -- Absolutely LOVED it!!  No qualms, no criticisms beyond, yeah, it ain't Seventh Seal, but what is?
Very VERY good humour, nodding winks, do rent it and view the extras for further appreciation -- really just about a perfect little pile of poo!
peter johson/denny I LOVE BAADD Movies!!

[peter johnson]

ooooKAY --
so green on green doesn't work . . .
I thought there may be an outline or something --
nebber mind . .   .
peter oh whatever. . .

[Yaddo 42]

The pistol packin' squid looks fine when I view your posts. Is something wlse not working for you.

Skaboi, I may be remembering wrongly but, didn't Pardy have a line or two about looking at a job in another town, or he had come back to the town after screwing up or burning out somewhere else? Starla may have only wanted away from Grant Grant, but with his money, he pretty much was the town (foreshadowing what happens later in a way), and leaving would be the only way to escape him. The teenage girl seemed to be the typical "When I graduate, I am so out of here!" teenage you see in a hundred other movies, and in real life for that matter whether they follow through or not.

[Amanda]

Gregg Henry was in a typical crazy hillbilly people in the woods movie called Just Before Dawn, circa 1980.  It also had Chris Lemmon.  It wasn't too bad, although my husband hated it and screamed about how boring it was....I didn't think it was too bad.