Slither is a wild and fun creature-horror that has plenty of that James Gunn humor that has worked so well in his Guardians films. The cast headlined by Nathan Fillion, the beautiful Elizabeth Banks and inscrutable Michael Rooker are fantastic and although I don’t think it’s some classic, this is one I’ll check out again.
Slither
— Collector’s Edition —
(2006)
Genre(s): Horror, Comedy, Sci-Fi
Shout Factory | R – 96 min. – $34.93 | August 1, 2017
Date Published: 07/28/2017 | Author: The Movieman
|
|
|||||||||||
THE MOVIE — 3.5/5 |
|
Plot Synopsis: This is the story of an unnamed evil that wreaks havoc on a small town. Intent on devouring all life on Earth, this dark and slimy entity is infecting anyone in its path, starting with a man named Grant Grant (MICHAEL ROOKER). Now it’s up to local sheriff (NATHAN FILLION), Grant’s wife (ELIZABETH BANKS), the obnoxious town mayor (GREGG HENRY) and a teenage girl (TANIA SAULNIER), to stop the spread of rampant devastation – and shocking mutilation – before it’s too late. Quick Hit Review: This was actually my first viewing of Slither which, for whatever reason, I had avoided watching (even though I own the old DVD). While it’s not some horror classic, it is quite funny and has that James Gunn flavor intermixed with Nathan Fillion’s comedic stylings. But even the horror elements, in a creature feature sort of way, works and considering the film’s budget, they did a lot, though some of the visual effects were a bit wonky. Beyond that, Elizabeth Banks shows off her charisma, able to balance to the two genres and Michael Rooker, even under a ton of make-up, perhaps delivers the stand-out performance. |
SPECIAL FEATURES – 4.0/5 |
|
This “Collector’s Edition” release comes with a matted slip cover with new artwork. The inner cover is reversible revealing the film’s original poster artwork. Audio Commentaries:
The first track is newly recorded (in 2017) for this release, the trio basically has a good old time recounting the stories they can remember 10 years later. The second was recorded when the film was released to DVD and is a bit more informative yet still fun between Gunn and Fillion. Interviews:
Deleted/Extended Scenes (17:13; SD) – There are a few scenes that didn’t make it into the final cut. Included is an optional commentary with Gunn. Visual Effects: Step by Step (5:04; SD) is an effects progression reel taking viewers from stage to stage. Slithery Set Tour with Nathan Fillion (4:41; SD) has the actor taking us behind the scenes, on location. Who Is Bill Pardy? (5:14; SD) has the cast/crew goofing on set about the character and Fillion himself. The Sick Minds and Shiny Days of Slither (10:04; SD) is a making-of, behind-the-scenes, featurette with interviews by the cast and crew. Brewing the Blood (3:17; SD) looks at how to make fake blood. The Effects of Slither (18:38; SD) is on the prosthetic and visual effects work. Lloyd Kaufman’s Video Diaries (8:58; SD) – The president of Troma Entertainment (where Gunn previously worked) has a cameo role in Slither and he documents his time on set. Gag Reel (8:11; SD) Theatrical Trailer (1:29; HD) |
VIDEO – 3.5/5 |
| Slither comes to Blu-ray presumably not receiving some sort of new restoration, but as it is, it’s not a terrible looking picture. The movie is presented in its original 1.85 widescreen aspect ratio and a 1080p high-definition transfer. Although detail isn’t bad, a bit splotchy in spots perhaps, I did find some of the darker scenes to have high amount of noise and a bit of contrast. I’m not sure if this is an issue with the transfer or how it was intended to look (and I don’t have the DVD to make a comparison with). Even so, and although a 10 year old movie probably could look better, it’s still adequate enough. |
AUDIO – 3.75/5 |
| The DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 track fairs a bit better, however. The dialogue levels are clean coming through the center channel and there’s some very modest depth here and there, particularly towards the end. I didn’t really notice much coming out of the rear channels outside of some minor ambient noises, and some of the slime slithering around. No, it won’t test your system or wow you in any way, but for the genre, it’s serviceable. |
OVERALL – 3.5/5 |
|
Overall, Slither is a wild and fun creature-horror that has plenty of that James Gunn humor that has worked so well in his Guardians films. The cast headlined by Nathan Fillion, the beautiful Elizabeth Banks and inscrutable Michael Rooker are fantastic and although I don’t think it’s some classic, this is one I’ll check out again come Halloween time. As for this “Collector’s Edition” release by Shout Factory, there’s a nice selection of special features while the video and audio transfers are both satisfactory enough. |
Check out some more 1080p screen caps by going to page 2. Please note, these do contain spoilers.