Slaxx

Right before a new product launch, a killer pair of jeans eats all the staff at an upscale hipster store. The new girl has to stop the pants from getting out and killing more.

Here is a movie that had a nice over the top premise and manages to botch it in almost every way. First of all, it was shot way too drab and self-serious. The acting was all over the top goofy, and the attempts at a political message were way too heavy handed for what they were making. If you want to make a "Bad good" B movie you have to treat it seriously in presentation but lean into the goofiness, not do what this did and treat it goofy in presentation and lean into the seriousness. Tonally opposite of what it needed to be. Waste of a tremendous premise and a few cute scenes. BLEH.

A good little gory film, and a first realization which seduced me by its criticism of the textile and fashion industry. There is blood in our clothes as in our cellphones, the marketing advocating ethical and organic clothes often being GMOs resulting from the exploitation of childrens and underpaid employees. Here the jeans come to life and want to do justice, against the wild and cynical Western consumer society, the pretentious influencers and the upstart store managers, which gives rise to funny scenes with gore effects and CGIs neither prodigious nor failed. . The staging and the photography is rather successful, and makes me want to watch the next achievements of Elza Kephart having until now mainly worked in the artistic department on several films including several X men films.

Honestly, not that much more. But it still needs more credit than it's getting.

People are pointing out that this movie is fun, but pushes a tired message, and really, it does do that. The social message isn't really profound or incredible, and if you've seen a lot of films like this, then the message seems all the more cliche. However the movie focuses more on being funny than anything else. The message just gives the movie some necessary structure.

However, if you haven't seen films like this before, then this could be a hilarious and interesting movie for you at the same time rather than just "funny" or "whatever" as some of the veterans of the genre find it.

There are a few movies like this one already, but this one has some pretty great actors for what it is. And again, if you're new to the genre, this would be a great bizarre watch for you.

Generally I like social messages, I like it when people realize that they can change things, even with the smallest effort. And maybe this movie achieves to change some peoples mind on buying clothes every other day. Cheap clothes that is (I won't even mention the stores that sell them). So making a movie about a Jeans that is out for blood (literally) is as far out as it sounds. There is nothing more to add to that.

But the movie itself (if you can deal and dig all the violence) is quite cliche. And the finger pointing and over the top characters will either work for you or against you/the movie. It is tough to sympathize with anyone in this (even with the explanation given) and painting them as one dimensional as possible does not add to that either. If you either don't mind and just want to enjoy some rather fine blood and special effects, good. Maybe the message makes it all good for you .. but there will be quite a few that probably will just plainly be annoyed by most of the movie ... just a fair warning. Overall I would rate it decent myself, all things considered

Crazy Canadian horror Slaxx not only boasts a bonkers concept - a pair of possessed jeans kills workers at a fashion store - but it also squeezes in some social commentary as well, taking swipes at companies that use unethical methods in order to reduce manufacturing costs, whilst mocking the superficiality of those working in the clothing retail industry.

The problem is that, in doing so, it reduces the majority of the characters to ridiculously unpleasant one-dimensional caricatures that are hard to endure. Most irritating is store manager Craig (Brett Donahue), but his associates aren't far behind: there's his loathsome rival Barb (Tianna Nori), irksome CCC managing director Harold Landsgrove (Stephen Bogaert), self-absorbed YouTuber Peyton Jules (Erica Anderson), and the obnoxious floor staff with serious attitude problems. While I understand that they're played this way in order to parody vacuous slaves to fashion, and to make the violent deaths all the more welcome, the OTT performances quickly become extremely grating.

Only idealistic and enthusiastic new employee Libby (Romane Denis) is portrayed as likeable, a single ray of light in a world inhabited by the narcissistic and egocentric.

Where the film does succeed is with the special effects: the living trousers are well executed, with a particularly fun scene where they dance to Bollywood music, and the kills are nice and juicy, the jeans spilling plenty of claret whilst graphically dismembering its victims. Gore fans will definitely appreciate the carnage. Oh, and the downbeat ending makes a nice change.

So, not a roaring success in my book, but still fun at times: try it on for size... there's a chance you might enjoy it more than I did.