Piranha 3D - Splurge of the Week

By: Brandon Sites of www.bigdaddyhorrorreviews.com

Let's not beat around the bush. Going into Piranha 3D one doesn't expect social commentary on what drives Spring Breakers to do the crazy things they do, deep meaningful messages on the human condition, or a biting examination on the politics of being in the police force. What one expects is gore, nudity, a fast pace, some occasional bits of comedy, and a bunch of killer piranha eating people to death. With that in mind, Piranha 3D delivers on all accounts as it tells the story of a sudden underwater tremor, at Lake Victoria, that sets free scores of the prehistoric man-eating piranha who eat up anything in their way including thousands of college kids partying on the lake for Spring Break. Also, in the meantime sheriff Elizabeth Shue must rescue her family who is stuck on a sinking ship.

The gore is delivered in the bucketfuls (if not carloads or even truckloads). The nudity is among the most rampant of a mainstream horror film including some full frontal shots. One clever, though admittedly perfectly tasteless, sequence is five minutes of two women swimming buck naked with each other all set to opera music! Jerry O' Connell brings the comedic element playing a character that probably very much resembles himself when he was younger. As for the pacing, Alexandre Aja keeps things moving along at break neck speed with plenty of spring break partying and techno music. And as for those Piranha, well they deliver on creating some of the most vicious carnage ever witnessed in a mainstream theatrical release. Special mention goes to Elizabeth Shue, even though she is pushing 50, she's still a force to be reckoned with. She is a credible and strong presence in this film. If Piranha 3-D had pretended to be anything other then what it is, it would have failed miserably. Thankfully, Aja knew how to deliver upon the material and has created one of the best remakes of the decade.