James gunn’s ‘slither’: a grotesque cult classic finally gets a glow-up?

James Gunn, the name synonymous with recent Marvel successes and now, a burgeoning DC Universe, once ventured into a far more peculiar corner of cinema. Slither, his 2006 debut feature, a splatter-soaked horror comedy, has resurfaced – a curious case of retroactive appreciation for a film that initially landed with a thud. But does this glossy re-release elevate it beyond its low-budget origins, or is it merely a studio attempting to capitalize on a director’s current cachet?

The worm turns: a synopsis of the gore

Slither’s premise is undeniably bizarre. An alien asteroid crashes to Earth, unleashing parasitic worms that infect and transform hapless residents of a small South Carolina town. Michael Rooker, a frequent Gunn collaborator, portrays Grant, a man whose unhealthy obsession with his wife, Starla (Elizabeth Banks), becomes tragically intertwined with the alien invasion. Nathan Fillion, as the town’s police chief, provides a wry counterpoint to the escalating absurdity.

The film doesn’t shy away from its grotesque nature. Practical effects, while undeniably rubbery, contribute to a certain charm – a throwback to the Troma Films aesthetic that clearly influenced Gunn’s early work. The alien larvae, described with clinical accuracy as “flaccid phallic worms with severe sunburn,” are as unsettling as they are ridiculous. The transformation process, involving penetration through various orifices and the creation of monstrous incubators, is not for the faint of heart. But amidst the carnage, there are moments of genuine, albeit dark, humor.

Am radio and the art of the unexpected

Gunn’s signature use of incongruous music, now a hallmark of the Guardians of the Galaxy franchise, finds an early, surprisingly effective deployment here. A particularly gruesome killing spree is set to Air Supply’s saccharine ballad “Every Woman in the World,” creating a jarring yet memorable juxtaposition. The cast, clearly aware of the film's inherent absurdity, delivers their performances with a gleeful commitment to the bit. While the science fiction elements remain thinly sketched, the sheer audacity of Slither is undeniable.

The resurgence of Slither isn't entirely surprising. A director’s past works often benefit from the glow of their subsequent success, and this release can be viewed as a calculated repositioning of a flawed but ambitious early effort. However, to declare Slither a misunderstood masterpiece would be a significant stretch. It’s a flawed, frequently silly, but undeniably entertaining piece of B-movie schlock – a testament to Gunn’s evolving sensibilities and a reminder of the director’s comfort with the bizarre. It's a film that, despite its shortcomings, reveals the seeds of the director’s later triumphs.

Slither is in UK cinemas from 10 April and on digital platforms from 1 May. Don't expect profundity, but do expect a healthy dose of alien goo and darkly comic mayhem. The film’s lasting impact may not be as a cinematic triumph, but as a fascinating snapshot of a filmmaker finding his voice – a voice that would eventually conquer the box office.