Connect with us

News

Bad Meat – A Movie Review On Bad Taste and Sadism. Bon Appetit!

Published

on

Some of the best horrors manage to keep themselves subtle and frighteningly close to home. Bad Meat might not be able to claim subtlety, because just as the name implies, this is a movie that’s indeed about some bad meat. The kind of meat that causes not only bad tummy aches, but also leads to some severe cases of raging cannibalism.

 

It does manage to keep itself close to home, a little too close for comfort some might say. For anyone who grew up under a strict household of ultra-conservative morals and a hyper sense of religion you’ll know a little of what I mean. I remember getting the creeps when I watched documentaries about rehabilitation establishments where kids are literally pulled out of their beds at night and transported to these obscure rehab camps. These kids are no more delinquent than I was growing up. Their crimes – simply not meeting their parents’ expectations.

 

image via jingafilms

 

Not fitting in is troubling enough for a young person. Being made to feel different, being alienated among one’s siblings and parents – people they have loved and grown up believing in – is polarizing for youthful confidence. So when a kid is then shipped off for being different or for being an outsider, that cold pit of uncertainty wells up in the core of their stomachs and whatever stability was remaining for them is broken underfoot.

 

That’s a lot to deal with. And this stuff happens. It’s scary! It would seem the perfect setting for a good horror movie, wouldn’t you think?

 

image via Cinematic Autopsy

 

Bad Meat does just that. It sets the viewer in the care of the maniacal Doug Kendrew (Mark Pellegrino) and his three lieutenants who all maintain strict order among the unfortunate ne’er-do-wells under their care. Pellegrino plays his role masterfully. His character is a twisted Nazi-sympathizer who gleefully reads about the horrors of death-camps as bed-time entertainment.

 

image via Chud

 

If you’re wondering where else you know this handsome devil from, well you’re so close to the mark. Pellegrino is known for playing Lucifer in CW’s Supernatural. So yeah, Satan himself is running this rehab center. One moment the guy comes off as genuinely sympathetic and almost seems to give one ounce of a damn about the youths in his care. Then, like a light switch, he turns and reminds us that he is a monster who gets some sick satisfaction from psychologically screwing with these kids.

 

Speaking of satisfaction – so those lieutenants? Yeah, they’re warped too. How could they carry out Kendrew’s demented tasks and honestly not be? One of them gets his kicks by sitting outside windows and watching the teenage ladies get undressed. The other two, well one listens to the girls through their locked door while his colleague, um, makes him feel happy. If you want to know what that means, well that’s more reason to see this movie!

 

image via itsblogginevil

 

So Bad Meat is pretty screwed up, but in all the ways that set a good claustrophobic atmosphere of hopelessness. Forty miles of woods and swamp surround them, trapping the kids in with the sadistic quartet.

 

Then things get started! Oh, if you thought that was the entirety of the movie – like I did – you’re in for a big surprise. So why the hell is it called ‘bad meat’? Because, the chef grows very tired of all of the racial slurs and baneful jokes thrown his way. Sick of the abuse, he finally lashes out. Making the meat in tonight’s stew bad. How? I don’t know. I mean I figured he just simply put some puke juice in the stew to poison them, but it goes beyond that. Whatever weird seasoning he added to the meat really goes bad for everyone around.

 

image via joblo

 

Only the four assholes who rule the establishment are allowed to eat a good hot meal. The delinquents are fed one potato each, which is in their favor. After eating the stew each of the four get sick and throw up. A lot. I mean there is a lot of puke here. Not like something you’d see in a Troma movie, but unholy hell the smell of that place must be gawdawful!

 

So they seem to get their comeuppance and we couldn’t be happier. They get a bad case of violent sick and fall one by one like flies. One part that made me laugh was when two of the guards got sick in the middle of sex. So they’re getting it on in a waterbed when puke fest is declared, and oh boy. A waterbed! The motion of the ocean does not sit well for those two. I think someone out there had a weird fetish to explore when planning that scene. Leather bondage gear, a strap on, bull horns and a water bed. Yup. By the end the whole floor is a slimy mess.

 

image via Chud

 

 

So yeah, you will want a strong stomach for this one.

 

We’d think they would die after all that, but no. The next morning the four get to their feet, still covered in their own sick, and rush out to maim and feed off the kids.

 

image via horrordomain

 

It’s a very cool concept, but despite it having some good acting, lots of blood and a solid story to stand on, the movie falls a little flat. There was room for a lot more. Most in particular – the reason for why.

 

Now I’m first to admit that I like some ambiguity in a movie. Like who knows why the dead rise up to eat the living in Night of the Living Dead? How can a puzzle box open the forbidden acres of Hell? Or what makes Jason so un-killable? Truth is, I don’t care. I love a movie that doesn’t have to explain itself, but only as long as there is a foundation solid enough to not warrant too many explanations.

 

Bad Meat doesn’t have that. For example, how does the bad meat turn those who eat it into cannibal monsters? The infected don’t eat one another, they only target the uninfected. Are they zombies or do they have rabies? The cannibals also have a heightened sexual appetite. So did the bad meat just heighten all their appetites in general? Or are they just filled with a general urge to not give a damn and do whatever they want?

 

This is something that works brilliantly for 28 Days Later and Dawn of the Dead. In both movies we know that either those infected with the rage virus causes them to spread like a virus to consume those who are not yet infected – makes sense because we’re dealing with a virus. It’s brilliant! Or the dead rise from their graves to feed on the living.

 

image via forbiddenplanet

 

Even the comic series Crossed manages to be ambiguous – where did the Crossed come from for example? – but manages to tell enough story where we are not left confused as an audience.  We get it. Dead Meat has no lead up for us to sit back and go “Oh that’s why.”

 

Plus some of the editing does not work at all in the movie.

 

image via Rotten Tomatoes

 

A lot of the final act leaves the viewer a bit confused. The ending especially had me scratching my head. Sad too, because this could have been a new favorite for me. It’s not a bad movie, but it feels as though it wasn’t allowed to be fully explored and completed.

 

Does your pal Manic recommend it? Sure. Honestly I’d love to know your thoughts on it too, so please don’t hesitate to leave us a comment below. This has been Manic Exorcism again wishing you a great Halloween season! Stay freaky friends.

 

 

 

 

 

'Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire' Popcorn Bucket

Click to comment

You must be logged in to post a comment Login

Leave a Reply

News

New Poster Reveal For Nicolas Cage’s Survival Creature Feature ‘Arcadian’ [Trailer]

Published

on

Nicolas Cage Arcadian

In the latest cinematic venture featuring Nicolas Cage, Arcadian emerges as a compelling creature feature, teeming with suspense, horror, and emotional depth. RLJE Films has recently released a series of new images and a captivating poster, offering audiences a glimpse into the eerie and thrilling world of “Arcadian”. Scheduled to hit theaters on April 12, 2024, the film will later be available on Shudder and AMC+, ensuring a wide audience can experience its gripping narrative.

Arcadian Movie Trailer

The Motion Picture Association (MPA) has given this film an “R” rating for its “bloody images,” hinting at the visceral and intense experience awaiting viewers. The film draws inspiration from acclaimed horror benchmarks like “A Quiet Place,” weaving a post-apocalyptic tale of a father and his two sons navigating a desolate world. Following a catastrophic event that depopulates the planet, the family faces the dual challenge of surviving their dystopian environment and eluding mysterious nocturnal creatures.

Joining Nicolas Cage in this harrowing journey are Jaeden Martell, known for his role in “IT” (2017), Maxwell Jenkins from “Lost in Space,” and Sadie Soverall, featured in “Fate: The Winx Saga.” Directed by Ben Brewer (“The Trust”) and penned by Mike Nilon (“Braven”), “Arcadian” promises a unique blend of poignant storytelling and electrifying survival horror.

Maxwell Jenkins, Nicolas Cage, and Jaeden Martell 

Critics have already begun to praise “Arcadian” for its imaginative monster designs and exhilarating action sequences, with one review from Bloody Disgusting highlighting the film’s balance between emotional coming-of-age elements and heart-pounding horror. Despite sharing thematic elements with similar genre films, “Arcadian” sets itself apart through its creative approach and action-driven plot, promising a cinematic experience filled with mystery, suspense, and relentless thrills.

Arcadian Official Movie Poster

'Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire' Popcorn Bucket

Continue Reading

News

‘Winnie the Pooh: Blood and Honey 3’ Is a Go with Enhanced Budget and New Characters

Published

on

Winnie the Pooh 3

Wow, they’re churning things out fast! The upcoming sequel “Winnie the Pooh: Blood and Honey 3” is officially moving forward, promising an expanded narrative with a larger budget and the introduction of beloved characters from A.A. Milne’s original tales. As confirmed by Variety, the third installment in the horror franchise will welcome Rabbit, the heffalumps, and the woozles into its dark and twisted narrative.

This sequel is a part of an ambitious cinematic universe that reimagines children’s stories as horror tales. Alongside “Winnie the Pooh: Blood and Honey” and its first sequel, the universe includes films such as “Peter Pan’s Neverland Nightmare”, “Bambi: The Reckoning,” and “Pinocchio Unstrung”. These movies are set to converge in the crossover event “Poohniverse: Monsters Assemble,” slated for a 2025 release.

Winnie the Pooh Poohniverse

The creation of these films was made possible when A.A. Milne’s 1926 children’s book “Winnie-the-Pooh” entered the public domain last year, allowing filmmakers to explore these cherished characters in unprecedented ways. Director Rhys Frake-Waterfield and producer Scott Jeffrey Chambers, of Jagged Edge Productions, have led the charge in this innovative endeavor.

The inclusion of Rabbit, heffalumps, and woozles in the upcoming sequel introduces a new layer to the franchise. In Milne’s original stories, heffalumps are imagined creatures resembling elephants, while woozles are known for their weasel-like characteristics and a penchant for stealing honey. Their roles in the narrative remain to be seen, but their addition promises to enrich the horror universe with deeper connections to the source material.

'Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire' Popcorn Bucket

Continue Reading

News

How to Watch ‘Late Night with the Devil’ from Home: Dates and Platforms

Published

on

Late Night With The Devil

For fans eager to dive into one of this year’s most talked-about horror films from the comfort of their own home, “Late Night with the Devil” will be available for streaming exclusively on Shudder starting April 19, 2024. This announcement has been highly anticipated following the film’s successful theatrical release by IFC Films, which saw it earning rave reviews and a record-breaking opening weekend for the distributor.

“Late Night with the Devil” emerges as a standout horror film, captivating audiences and critics alike, with Stephen King himself offering high praise for the 1977-set film. Starring David Dastmalchian, the movie unfolds on Halloween night during a live late-night talk show broadcast that disastrously unleashes evil across the nation. This found footage-style film not only delivers scares but also authentically captures the aesthetic of the 1970s, drawing viewers into its nightmarish scenario.

David Dastmalchian in Late Night with the Devil

The film’s initial box office success, opening to $2.8 million in 1,034 theaters, underscores its wide appeal and marks the highest opening weekend for an IFC Films release. Critically acclaimed, “Late Night with the Devil” boasts a 96% positive rating on Rotten Tomatoes from 135 reviews, with the consensus praising it for rejuvenating the possession horror genre and showcasing David Dastmalchian’s exceptional performance.

Rotten Tomatoes score as of 3/28/2024

Simon Rother of iHorror.com encapsulates the film’s allure, emphasizing its immersive quality that transports viewers back to the 1970s, making them feel as if they are part of the eerie “Night Owls” Halloween broadcast. Rother lauds the film for its meticulously crafted script and the emotional and shocking journey it takes viewers on, stating, “This whole experience will have viewers of the Cairnes brothers’ film glued to their screen… The script, from beginning to end, is neatly sewn together with an ending that’ll have jaws on the floor.” You can read the full review here.

Rother further encourages audiences to watch the film, highlighting its multifaceted appeal: “Whenever it is made available to you, you must attempt to view the Cairnes Brothers’ latest project as it will make you laugh, it will creep you out, it will amaze you, and it might even strike an emotional cord.”

Set to stream on Shudder on April 19, 2024, “Late Night with the Devil” offers a compelling blend of horror, history, and heart. This film is not just a must-watch for horror aficionados but for anyone looking to be thoroughly entertained and moved by a cinematic experience that redefines the boundaries of its genre.

'Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire' Popcorn Bucket

Continue Reading

Embed Gif with Clickable Title