Vleesdag

"Meat Kills" (Vleesdag) is the latest film from Dutch director Martijn Smits (Manhunt): a resolutely nihilistic descent into the escalation of hatred.

We already know the slaughterhouse and the wider meat industry are rotten to the bone.

No matter how many slit throats, electroshocks, or bouts of forced feeding are deployed to churn out meat, it remains, at its core, a business-and money has a knack for corroding minds as thoroughly as it does morals.

On the opposite side, we have activists-though not the sort who calmly disseminate information or raise awareness. Instead, "Meat Kills" focuses on the faction who fold themselves into extremist circles, disguising as defenders of a cause while really nourishing their own rage and disillusionment.

That's the premise of the film. Mirthe (Caro Derkx) takes a job at a family business's slaughterhouse to record the atrocities committed within its walls. Needless to say, she's caught filming and rudely thrown out.

She then encounters an extreme animal-rights collective who, from the very first frame, spread a sinister energy.

From there "Meat Kills" starts its escalation into a fast-paced wave of violence.

They ramble inanely about unmasking the villains while pulling on pig masks, puffing joints, and indulging in stoner philosophising turned pseudo-revolutionary rambling.

The film frames this as a debate over moral legitimacy-and how quickly it collapses.

Once the group reach the pig farm, it takes no time at all for everything to spiral beyond retrieval. Hatred generates more hatred, and cynicism becomes the gore and momentum of this Dutch slasher.

"Meat Kills" finds its footing in the tight, unsettling camerawork within the farm's confined spaces. Its bleak, psychotic-clinical cinematography doesn't just capture the environment-it channels the fractured psyches driving this blood-soaked battle.

The characters themselves may be far from deep intent, but the cast deliver impressively solid performances, reinforcing the film's plot: these figures aren't meant to be grounded or heroic. Their emptiness is part of the twisted and nihilistic narrative.

A throwback to the early 2000s torture-porn, and French extremity horror flicks, "Meat Kills" carries a fast-paced tale infused with grisly nostalgia. Through its relentless brutality, it offers its most striking lesson.

No one is entirely good or bad-especially when everyone is guilty of doing horrific things.

The film functions as a blood-slick satirical critique (even if most of the kills are off-screen, while we see the blood flows, giving a malicious voyeuristic style) of politics, ethics-human and animal alike-and the collapse of environmental conscience.

Its message is yelled fiercely in the final act, with no doubt one of 2025's best endings.

You feel it. You endure it. A touch of "Pearl," a hint of "When Evil Lurks"-yet "Meat Kills" speaks in its own vicious language, one designed to unsettle and upset you...and leave a wicked little smile on your face.

I don't think I have ever seen a movie as nihilistic and ugly as Meat Kills (Vleesdag). This is a film without any heroes. No one has a redemption arc and nothing is gained by anyone. It's a cynical, bitter movie about nothing but hatred and the escalation of hatred.

When the credits rolled, I sat with my confusion. Why would someone make this? It's definitely a throwback to early 2000s tortureporn (as much as I hate that term) such as Hostel (2005) or Saw (2004), but those films had messages. They offered dry commentary on a broken healthcare system, greed, and American entitlement. Those films had characters to root for, even if they were antiheroes, such as John Kramer, the Jigsaw killer. People learned lessons in the most brutal ways imaginable, and that was satisfying, especially when they were guilty of doing horrific things.

Then I woke up this morning and it fell into place. Either Meat Kills is just a gorefest with no redeeming value, or it's making a very profound statement on our current political and cultural landscape. And I think it's the latter. In my mind, the shocking final scene confirms that this film is an allegory.

But it's also a fair reaction to be disgusted (if you make it through the whole thing) and even angry. This was my initial reaction, and if that's what you're left with, that's valid. This is not the "fun" gore and violence of the Terrifier series. It's meanspirited and bleak, with no winking to the audience, or tongue-in-cheek satire.

Meat Kills is a reflection of the deep polarizations in modern discourse. It's a film about extremism and how people on "the other side" are dehumanized to the point where "they" are considered nothing more than animals. It's about wanting to find your tribe and feel connected to a cause. It's about how idealistic people can get swept up into hate groups and how bigotry and cyclical violence is passed down to our children. When ugliness spreads, it's hard to find a glimmer of light on either "side". Those glimmers are portrayed here, but realistically. Is it possible for a person to find compassion for someone who is willing to destroy your family for their cause? Most likely, not.

The story is about Mirthe (Caro Derkx), who secretly films some video inside a pig slaughterhouse in an effort to join an animal rights group run by the radical Nasha (Emma Josten) who has devoted her life to saving animals and exposing their "murderers". It's important to note that this is a small family farm, not an industrial slaughterhouse, and as near as I can tell, the footage Mirthe shoots isn't particularly horrifying. In fact, we barely see any pigs in the entire movie. That's also important, because it's not really about the pigs...the initial cause of contention...but about how hatred can get more and more ingrained into personal identity.

Jonas (Bart Oomen), the patriarch of the family, views himself as a provider of food to the community and the farm as a means for supporting his family. He can see no validity to any of the concerns raised by animal rights. The activists see him as nothing more than a murderer perpetuating a culture of cruelty. There is truth in both positions, but it all gets lost in rhetoric and beliefs that become crusades. Extremists will always find ways to justify their own acts of barbarism. As a result, Meat Kills offers a slate of characters that I didn't want to see die, but just for one of them to find a shred of goodness. I desperately wanted someone I could identify with and latch onto. Mirthe comes close, as does one of the farmer's sons. They are each caught between compassion and idealism. And when the violence heats up, their "sides" force them to make decisions. Coercion, misinformation, fake news, and desperately wanting to fit in, are all tools for legitimizing internal hatred.

The horror elements of Meat Kills are impressive. The barnyard stalls are dark, bloody, and grimey, evoking House of 1000 Corpses (2003), and the farmhouse itself is lived-in and claustrophobic. In general, the kills are visceral and brutal, with top-notch practical effects. Lots and lots of guts and gore, with an equal amount of tension and scares. And hey, I always have a soft spot for a good meat hook scene. I never wanted to take my eyes off the screen because with this many unhinged characters, it's impossible to predict what will come next.

Look, Meat Kills will be a hard watch for just about anyone. If you're a hardcore horror fan, you will love the intensity and the kills, and on that level, you might have a lot of fun with the movie. But take a moment to consider what this film is trying to say. How sad is it that one of the most honest films I've seen this year, the one that most closely echoes this disturbing era we are in, is a film that has no winners, only losers.

I think Vleesdag is a film that will leave its mark on 2025. It explores political theology, that is, friend versus foe.

Some who identify themselves as enemies believe that moral codes are good and that they eliminate evil, and this is present in every group. As a society, we are entering this division, and we are witnessing the ultimate natural selection of conflict.

The film depicts the struggle of the concept of family against another political group, and the struggle of the political group against the family. It does this with bloody scenes (my favorite). It shows you plenty of blood; those who love splatter should definitely check it out.

Vleesdag offers a perspective on overcoming the dichotomy of friend versus foe and the conflict between reactionaries and progressives. Indeed, the theology of politics and politics pit people against each other, and of course, this moral polarization leads to catastrophic destruction.

Of course, there are those within every human group who transgress the norm. I thoroughly enjoyed the plot and plot, and the film's thematic perspective was impressive. It maintains its nihilistic perspective and maintains its strong moral nihilism.

Vleesdag is definitely a horror-splatter film you should watch in 2025.

The chainsaw scene is quite powerful and there were scenes reminiscent of butchers in the first Terrifier movie, right?

I got pulled into seeing this cos of Coventry's glowing review on imdb n that turned out to b good.

Well, the movie is a solid horror with top notch effects. It has some scenes of tension n suspense but I loved the ending.

A woman gets shot in the back n the effects of her spinal cord getting blasted by the bullet is brutal n done in a top notch way.

The blood drenched face of a female has been done umpteenth no of times.

It has two chases, two hide n seek scenes with flickering lights. Which does gets boring n predictable.

The barnyard/farmhouse is dark n bloody a la Texas Chainsaw Massacre, French movie Frontiere(s), House of 1000 Corpses, etc. Style.

A character keeps running straight when chased by a tractor while there are clear escape routes to the side.

Just cos plants cannot feel pain n their screams r not audible to human ears.....

I was quite interested in seeing a splatter horror movie from the Netherlands that seemed to be receiving decent ratings upon release. The fact that it was being marketed as the bloodiest movie from the Netherlands of all time also sounded intriguing, although I do not think the competition in that regard is particularly strong.

The movie follows a young woman named Mirthe who joins a group of animal rights activists whose goal is to break into a slaughterhouse. They are the most radical kind of activists and do not shy away from resorting to extreme measures to get their message across. Mirthe shares their general beliefs but is not fully on board with their methods. However, it soon becomes too late for her to choose a side, and things escalate when the family that owns the slaughterhouse begins to fight back.

The movie is indeed very bloody, featuring some gnarly and realistic effects that are not hindered by cheap CGI and instead rely heavily on practical effects. It is undeniably gory, although nothing that seasoned fans of the genre have not seen before. Still, the violence is presented in a very grounded and realistic way, which makes it more impactful.

That being said, it is hard to find anyone to truly root for. The other members of the activist group are either completely unlikable or simply uninteresting, while the slaughterhouse family also becomes increasingly unpleasant as the movie progresses. Mirthe is clearly intended to be the main character, but she is not particularly likable either, as she remains indecisive, frequently complains, and makes several questionable decisions. Stronger character writing could have made the experience much more immersive.

Despite these issues, the movie is still an enjoyable watch and will likely please horror fans who enjoy splatter films with lots of blood. I would also recommend supporting smaller productions like this when given the chance. [6,2/10]