Squeal (2008)
R1 / NTSC DVD
Simple Seed Productions
Directed by Tony Swansey
Written by Tony Swansey & Dennis Doornbos
Cast: Allison Batty, Kevin, Oestenstad, Stephen Isaac Dean & Joe Burke
Review by Brian Harris

A band on its way to a gig are involved in an accident and forced to seek out help. Instead of finding aid though, the group is imprisoned by a psychotic “family” of genetic experiments interested in only one thing…dinner.

Squeal is one strange and surprisingly enjoyable slasher/creature feature hybrid indeed. It’s sort of The Island of Dr. Moreau meets Hostel filtered through a low budget so viewers banking on a straight-forward, ultra-slick slasher flick, or torture porn as the mainstream media likes to derogatorily label this type of cinema, are going to be quite surprised. The film not only provides the prerequisite tits, swinging meat cleavers and loose body parts but also mutant pig sex, a midget (you know I love the midgets!) and secret government genetics tomfoolery. As if those exceptional qualities weren’t enough we’re also treated to the first ever sequence in horror cinema history involving a mutant pig midget in clownface and what I like to call, “The Three-Legged Groupie Dash.” You’ll know when you see it, prepare yourselves for horror hilarity.

Unlike so many low budgets films I’ve suffered through, Squeal’s acting was quite good with solid performances from all actors involved. Naturally a solid script always helps and thankfully Swansey & Doornbos deliver on that front with a clever story, some well written dialogue and what appears to be subtext. Maybe that’s just me reaching for something deeper but I found the reversed roles of the farmer and his food to be quite interesting and deliciously ironic.

As a diehard, lifelong horror fan few things piss me off like CG. You know, it’s not that I’m opposed to technological progress in filmmaking; I just believe horror cinema should remain a hands on artform. Monsters should be latex, blood should be corn syrup and CG should never be used to “enhance” kill sequences. I’m a hand puppet fan, a rods-beneath-the-floor fan and, if need be, a string-dangling-from-the-ceiling fan. Apparently, director Swansey shares some of my passion because Squeal incorporates everything that makes a good, old-fashion gorefest so appealing to fans, latex and love.

Squeal was super entertaining but, like all films, there are a few negatives I could probably mention. The film does feel like it drags a bit once the entire band is imprisoned and the pigman’s mannerisms could have been a bit more animalistic. Aside from those two minor “issues,” Squeal’s got bite.
 
 

Once this hits DVD, I’d recommend this to anybody interested in a fun creature feature. The story can’t be considered anything new but the combination of cliché slasher cinema and genetics gone awry films work better than one might expect and actually help to elevate this from being just another horror movie to just another horror movie you should check out when you’re looking for something different. This could easily get a distro deal from Lionsgate or Sony and considering the quality of the horror they’ve released in the last few years they could only benefit from releasing this so keep those fingers crossed.
 
 

“Slasher Cinema with a Twist!”
Blurbtastic quotes are satire and are created for comedic purposes only. They do not reflect the actual film's review, star rating or entertainment value. Wildside Cinema does not endorse "quote whoring."  Blurbtastic quotes may not be used without prior consent from Wildside Cinema.
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