Piranha 3-D, a re-make of the 1978 fi lm, is about a small town that experiences a horrific outbreak of carnivorous fish during their peak tourist time, spring break.
Piranha 3-D is being hailed as the goriest film in recent history and I can vouch for that. As a dedicated horror fan, I found myself turning away at some scenes. Many members of the audience were in awe of the sheer devastation – complete with flying body parts – that resulted in the mass attacks.
The movie can be seen as a lesson in natural selection. The drunken college kids, who take a rebellious stand and continue, not just to party on the lake filled with Piranhas, but collectively dive into it, are wiped out.
There are also a lot of hilarious inside jokes for the educated horror fans. For example, Ving Rhames, a veteran of zombie movies such as “Dawn of The Dead,” said of the carnage, “I’m getting too old for this.” This line garnered a giggle from much of the audience.
It’s hard to decide who makes a bigger impression in the movie — the nightmarish piranhas or the list of memorable cameos. Jaws alum Richard Dreyfuss manages to make a big splash in the intro of the film. Jerry O’Connell shines in his role as an over-the-top arrogant “Girls Gone Wild” director wannabe. And, Christoper Lloyd, in the five minutes he’s on-screen, goes from goofy scientist to ominous fortune teller.
Piranha 3-D does for lakes what Jaws did for the ocean. The most terrifying difference is that there is only one shark in Jaws. In this movie, there are thousands of hungry fish who attack at once. Another difference is that Jaws had only one naked chick. Piranha has almost as many exposed breasts as it does man-eating fish.
But the biggest difference between the two, perhaps, is the gore. I’m not easily intimidated by horror movies but the sheer amount of gore will make you think twice about taking a dip in a seemingly tranquil lake. The mass amounts of gore will both visually stun and darkly amuse you. Granted the computer generated images (CGI) for the fi sh could have been better, but I dare you to watch this movie and go swimming without thinking about the bloody deaths of the doomed partiers.
It’s been a long time since I’ve had this much fun at a movie, especially a horror film. Piranha 3-D doesn’t take itself too seriously and encourages the audience to do the same. It’s a fun, cool and bloody ride. Sit back and enjoy it. Well, at least for the first five minutes. After that, you may want to put your snacks down.
