Director – Juan Piquer Simon (The Pod People)
Starring – Michael Garfield (The Warriors), Kim Terry (The Anarchist Cookbook), and Philip MacHale (Dark Angel)
Release Date – 1988
Rating – 3/5
Blu Release – 4/5
Tagline – “They slime, they ooze, they kill” and “No one is safe”
Horror is a funny thing. Sometimes I get movies I have never heard of to review and find myself in shock as to how good they are which makes me wonder why I never watched them before. On the other hand, I sometimes get movies in to review that I have seen and possibly reviewed sometime in the past. One such film is the 1988 film Slugs.
I first watched and reviewed the film way back in 2012 when I first started writing reviews for my little blog Blacktooth’s Reviews and Rants. I first saw the film on a streaming service. More than likely it was Netflix but it could have been Hulu or YouTube. I loved the film and my review reflected that. Recently, the film was released by Arrow Video on blu and I had to see it. I reached out to my friends over at MVD and they were kind enough to hook me up with a review copy. Thanks guys.
**Spoiler Alert** The film opens with a drunk finding a dog and taking it home with him. Once in his home something attacks him. The local police and the health inspector, Mike Brady (Garfield), discover what is left of his body. When bodies start being discovered, and mutilated, the sheriff does not believe the health inspector that they are the results of slug attacks. Mike is able to capture one of the slugs and takes it to a biology teacher who just happens to be an expert on slugs. After running some tests they discover that the slugs are, in fact, carnivorous and also poisonous.
A sewer worker, Don Palmer (MacHale), has been finding the remains of small animals and team up with Mike. The slug expert deducts that the best place for the slugs to strive would be in the sewers. The pair find out that the area near the sewer was actually a toxic waste dump before being filled in. Some how the toxic waste mutates the slugs in to the monstrosities. The expert also discovers a chemical that makes the slugs explode. Mike and Don head down to the sewer to kill them but have minor complications and Don dies. Mike is able to use the chemical to kill the slugs and most of the town explodes. When it is all said and done the sheriff finally believes them.**Spoiler Alert**
Typically, I’m not a fan of these “when nature goes wrong” type films. Sure, there has been a few pop up here and there that were amazing but for the most part they are cheap duds. However, this one is different. This one is a “when nature goes wrong” mixed with everything we love about 80s horror.
The acting in this one is solid by the entire cast. Sadly, no one stands out from the other which makes a smooth flowing film. Every scene is solid and the cast is very consistent in their performance.
The story is ludicrous but the filmmakers were able to make a entertaining film. The film is so 80’s that it hooks the horror fan and pulls them in. The film does not offer anything new but follows a very generic story. It replaces the typical villains of the 80s, slashers, zombies, and vampires, and gives the viewer slugs. A very unusual killer but it fucking works. Sadly, the ending is very lackluster and could have been revised. A better ending would have went a long way.
Finally, The film has some great fucking effects. We get several solid kills and some great gore. It is films like that that made me fall in love with 80s horror. The effects are great and really push the gore over the top. Overall, Slugs is a very underrated film from the 80s. It has a campy story, a decent cast, and some great fucking kills. This is a horror must.
Special Features:
2k Restoration
Original Audio
Commentary
Interviews
Trailer
Reversible Artwork
