Common Sense Media Review
Rape, language, violence in empty, gross-out comedy horror.
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Slither
What's the Story?
At the start of SLITHER, Starla (Elizabeth Banks) is married to Grant (Michael Rooker). But she has another suitor, sheriff Bill (Nathan Fillion), who's had a crush on her since they were kids—a realization she comes to after Grant becomes infected by an alien, suddenly craves only raw meat, and tries to eat the town's entire population. Alien-Grant also sends forth a horde of blood-red parasite slugs to infect humans and turn them into flesh-eating zombies. Before the infestation annihilates the town, Starla and Bill must join forces to stop Grant.
Is It Any Good?
Goofy and gross, this low-brow horror comedy revisits the old alien invasion plot with extreme violence that might bother many viewers. Suitably reluctant and arrogant at the same time, Bill is disinclined to shoot things in Slither. But he's also resourceful and careful about his image. He figures out that everyone who ingests slugs is connected to Grant (they all insist, sometimes speaking in unison, that "Marriage is a sacred bond"), and so the destruction of alien-Grant is the only way to end it. "I'll keep growin'," grrrs Grant, "'Til I'm everywhere, 'til I'm everything."
What Bill doesn't see is Grant's mirroring of himself: the guy who thinks he loves the girl so hard and so long and so hopelessly that he loses himself. Lucky for him, this loss of self becomes literal for Grant and his many extensions (all ugly, all pink and oozy, all soulless). Ironically, Starla only notices that Bill is a good match for her after her life with Grant gets completely destroyed. In the end, beneath all the woe-is-me of men in marriage, Slither comes off as both pointless and offensive in its treatment of women, as well as a cheap shock with crude humor.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about the continued popularity of gross-out horror movies like Slither. What is it about these movies that fascinates people? Do you enjoy them? Why, or why not?
How does the movie handle depictions of sexual violence? Is it OK to use images of rape for shock value or dark humor? How does the movie portray women overall?
How does the movie balance its mix of horror and comedy? What do you think of this genre combination? Are there other horror-comedies you've seen? What are your favorites?
Movie Details
- In theaters : March 31, 2006
- On DVD or streaming : October 24, 2006
- Cast : Elizabeth Banks , Michael Rooker , Nathan Fillion
- Director : James Gunn
- Inclusion Information : Female Movie Actor(s)
- Studio : Universal Pictures
- Genre : Horror
- Topics : Aliens
- Run time : 96 minutes
- MPAA rating :
- MPAA explanation : for strong horror violence and gore, and language.
- Last updated : April 13, 2026
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