Snatchers

I watched this during it's run at SXSW. This film was surprising and soulful despite its ridiculous premise. It stabs at everything from female sexuality to bro culture and women's relationships. I could see this being the next Gremlins or Critters.

This is very reminiscent of the 2016 indie film HoneyBee even a scene in the first act with the mom checking in over homework is very similar and the wardrobe with all the characters is totally similar its nuts. This movie is quite campy however, very very campy and it knows that and maintains that tone. Some of the dialogue is stiff and feels scripted, but I like the actors cast anyway and think they chose well when casting them. It's a decent indie campy comedy horror flick!

When horny teens have sex for the first time then the girl accidentally gets pregnant and gives birth, it's a tragedy. But what if it all happened in just two days and the offspring was a resurrected Mayan monster? That's the whole idea of the film and, spoiler alert, the title does not refer to a verb. But it's fun, with the usual tropes of the horror movies all present, but contextualized in an entertaining way. Is it perfect? Hell no! But I've seen a lot of horror comedies that are not even close to the level of hilarity of this. If it have had just a little bit more budget, the gore would have complemented perfectly the plot. As such, it was just a lot of blood and two horrifying monsters.

If you like tongue in cheek horror, this is a film you should probably watch.

Comedy horror Snatchers' patently silly premise promises to be a lot of fun: after pretty teen Sara (Mary Nepi) has sex for the first time, she finds that she is pregnant with an alien. An enthusiastic cast give it their all and some decent creature effects help immensely, but a hit and miss script means that the film is only a partial success.

It didn't come as much of a surprise to learn that Snatchers started life as a short: it definitely feels as though writers Stephen Cedars, Benji Kleiman and Scott Yacyshyn struggled to stretch their initial six minute project to feature length, with much of their material failing to have the desired comedic effect. Nepi makes for an appealing lead, and she is given able support by Gabrielle Elyse as Hayley, the schoolfriend who helps Sara with her unusual predicament; it is largely thanks to these two girls that Snatchers is as enjoyable as it is, even with its flaws, their likeable characters sharing a breezy rapport that prevents the film from completely stalling during its more awkward moments.

A nifty alien spider creature gives the film a much-needed lift towards the end, but it is short lived, being dispatched in a disappointingly unspectacular fashion.

5/10. Passable fun, but ultimately fails to fulfil its potential.

I honestly don't know why this doesn't get more love. I thought the cast were perfect, the cinematography and clever use of direction was superb (a word there I've used maybe 3 times in my life) and the plot plays out fantastically well.

OK sure, the story is actually a bit basic, and the second half completely ruins the pace of the film but, it works for a film that doesn't take itself seriously and the 'monsters' were a bit "meh" but still, this is a film driven by the characters rather than the creatures.

I love it. I also now love Mary Nepi. Mary Call me.

Note: I'll also accept marriage from Halle Berry. Just in case.