Slither
  
James Gunn (writer & director) knows what makes horror fans scream. both in pleased disgust and, just as important (with the audience for this type of movie) devoted genre glee that only comes when the director in question clearly loves nudging the collective gag reflex just as much as gore hounds dig the real deal, squishy, brain-bursting, outer-space slugs and all.

Anyone can make a bad horror comedy, but James Gunn, who was also the screenwriter of the remake of George A. Romero’s successful movie “Dawn of the Dead” is not only an honest and heartfelt fan of horror films by, promisingly, an accomplished writer of them (if you forgive him for the two Scooby-doo movies). This is a enjoyably smart, ghastly, and often captivatingly very funny homage to everything from George A. Romero’s undead series of films to Stuart Gordon’s moister moments in “Re-Animator” and “From Beyond” (not to mention Brian Yuzna’s skilful pointed and effective criticism of Republican family values in the little-seen 1989 nightmare/satire “Society“), but by the time the final credits roll, damned if you’re not downright upbeat about the whole alien invasion situation on screen. It sure beats reality at this particular moment, as finer genre offerings so often do.

When alien worms invade a sleepy backwater burg in the great state of Texas (why is it always Texas), it’s up to former “Henry: Portrait of a Serial Killer” star Michael Rooker (as a guy who obviously never saw “The Blob“) to play host to the squirmy non-residential critters (literally). It's not all blood and guts and gore, though...well, okay, maybe it is for the most part, but all the special effects in the world would add up to nothing if the movie didn't have a fantastic cast. Both Nathan Fillion and Elizabeth Banks are perfect in their roles as the lovelorn, slightly befuddled cop and the perky schoolteacher who just wants her husband back. The supporting cast is just as fabulous, from the spunky teenager who's the only one with the knowledge of how to defeat the alien to the foulmouthed mayor of the town. Slither has a breezy, unforced, and entirely welcome sense of humour, which only makes all those lovingly rendered shotgun blasts to the heads of the newly deceased locals all the more horrific.

As mentioned above Gunn penned the screenplay as well, and it’s a sticky, unpleasantly eccentric blast from start to finish, crisply shot and wittier than anything his former Troma Films boss Lloyd Kaufman’s done in years. Of course, Slither isn’t for everyone, but if you’ve a follower of this genre you will probably leave the cinema feeling satisfied, add that to the fact that it’s a smart, sassy story to boot, you couldn’t do better than Gunn’s hellishly fun horror show.

  
Paul Elliott