Piranha 3D

(2010)

Directed by

Alexandre Aja

Review by Todd Plucknett

Posted - 8/24/10

“It’s like a Reese’s peanut butter cup. It’s got boobs and gore, two great tastes that taste great together.”

-Quentin Tarantino

That quote was made circa 2005 when QT was talking about his good friend Eli Roth’s new horror film Hostel. Deep, I know. Oddly (or not so oddly) enough, Eli Roth actually makes a cameo in horror maestro Alexandre Aja’s new film Piranha 3D, a remake of the 1978 film of the same name (minus the 3D of course). That quote perfectly describes the appeal of this film, which is loaded with excessive partying, topless chicks, and a boatload of some of the most graphic violence since Roth’s Hostel: Part II. Put all that together and somehow you come up with one of the most entertaining film-going experiences of the year.

Piranha 3D starts with an ordinary fisherman (Oscar-winner Richard Dreyfuss) who unwittingly drops his beer into a lake and opens up the bottom of the sea, setting loose killer piranhas that have not been seen in some two million years, as described by a local scientist (Christopher Lloyd). Meanwhile, spring break is going on in Lake Victoria, so there are thousands of college kids partying in the water and having wet t-shirt contests hosted by Eli Roth. The killing starts out slow, until the inevitable massacre happens amidst all the partying. Another storyline is a teenage resident (Steven R. McQueen, grandson of THE Steve McQueen), son of the town sheriff (Elisabeth Shue), who ditches his babysitting job of his two younger siblings to film a porno with a Girls Gone Wild-style filmmaker (Jerry O’Connell). All of this of course turns into disaster and tons of fun for the audience.

The actors do what they can with this material. Elisabeth Shue is wonderful as always, only this time playing a bit different part than one might expect from her. Vin Rhames plays himself, which always equates to awesomeness. Richard Dreyfuss is a goner in the first five minutes. Jerry O’Connell is a crazy, coked-out madman, yet sometimes quite similar to Timothy Olyphant in The Girl Next Door. Adam Scott makes an appearance. He is a talented actor (see The Vicious Kind), but am I the only one who cannot get around thinking “backdoor curve” every time I see him? Steven R. McQueen is effective, and Jessica Szohr is good as his love interest. Kelly Brook and Riley Steele…yeah… they are the real reason 3D was invented. Christopher Lloyd got applause from the whole audience when he got onscreen. This is what makes watching movies so much fun, when everyone else in the room is enjoying themselves too.

From the first moment I saw the trailer for Piranha 3D, I thought it looked like absolute trash. I knew that it was going to be hilarious, though. Even if it was hilariously bad, it was going to be a good time. I never could have expected it to be this cool, though. I trust Alexandre Aja. He definitely has talent, especially after his masterwork High Tension. He has a way of mixing graphic gore with laughs, while not just disgusting the audience. We see a guy’s penis thrown up by a piranha, and we cannot help but bust up laughing. We see Ving Rhames rip the propeller off the back of a boat and use it as a chainsaw against the piranhas and everyone cheers with oddly delighted smiles on their faces. Aja has a bright future in the industry. He is one of the horror directors who are bringing the genre back to what it used to be when those films were making tons of money and were respected by critics and filmgoers alike. Plus, this film totally screams sequel, so I definitely look forward to that, especially if Aja is back onboard.

This film is one of the greatest surprises of the year. This is the best time I have had at the theater since Kick-Ass, probably. Both are similarly hilarious films loaded with graphic violence. Piranha is just a beautiful piece of horror, and that is coming from someone who is not a junkie for this type of thrill. I have come to respect the horror genre with the direction that filmmakers Aja, Roth, Rob Zombie, and Neil Marshall to name a few are taking it. Considering the tragedy that the genre was some ten years ago, my giving it props is saying something. So, I don’t know how to recommend this film. If you like horror, see it now. If you agree with the quote from the wise man above, see it. If you are squeamish, probably skip it, or at least cover your eyes. If you want to laugh your head off and have a great time at the movies, bring your friends along and see it.

I cannot wait to see what comes next in this franchise. Perhaps I should check out the first couple films. All I know about them is that James Cameron was famously fired from the second one after a few days of filming. I am curious now. The 3D is used brilliantly here. It doesn’t really toy with the audience, but it enhances it. This only makes the underwater lesbian ballet montage even more awesome. I just cannot express how much fun this film really is. You have to see it for yourself.

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