Directed by: James Gunn
Written by: James Gunn
Starring: Nathan Fillion, Elizabeth Banks, Gregg Henry, Michael Rooker, Tania Saulnier, Don Thompson
Released: May 18, 2006
Grade: B

Who likes a good zombie movie?  If so, then this zombie movie is for you.  If you haven’t already gathered, I just like saying the word “zombie”.

Slither takes a humorous look at zombies in a similar vein to the 2004 English zombie comedy, Shaun Of The Dead.  It begins with a strange object falling from the sky and landing in the forest near a small town.  It looks like a meteorite but when it opens, a strange, slug-like creature is unveiled.

When a man, known as Grant Grant (Rooker), goes into the forest one evening, he is stung by this slug.  He then starts turning in a rather ugly looking slug himself.  He uses a barn in the forest to hide out and then starts an unusual breeding process with a woman he has taken hostage.

Thousands of small red slugs are then born and they go out into the nearby town in search of human life.  They go in through people’s mouths, travel up into the brain and then transform them into… mindless zombies!!!  Muhahahahaha.

The film doesn’t take itself seriously and hence why it will pride more laughs than thrills.  It’s a good approach to take and you need not be worried about excessive violence or horror.  There are a few squeamish scenes but nothing too confronting.

The film marks the feature debut of director James Gunn.  It may be his first time in the director’s seat but he’s worked as a writer for many years.  He helped pen the screenplays for Dawn Of The Dead and the two Scooby Doo movies.  Perhaps it was his work on Dawn Of The Dead which gave him the inspiration for Slither.

Zombies!