Wednesday, December 26, 2007

Black Sheep

When I first read a blurb in Entertainment Weekly about a movie where sheep go crazy and attack people, I knew this was a movie I had to see. Finally, Black Sheep came out on DVD, and I lapped it up in all of its ovine glory. Baa, baa, Black Sheep indeed.

A young Kiwi’s older brother plays a cruel joke on him, one he never recovers from. He vows never to return to the sheep ranch where he grew up, harboring a deep fear of sheep from then on. Then one day he returns to sign over his half of the family ranch, only to find out things aren’t what they used to be. Why is his brother genetically engineering sheep? What happens when a vegan-Peta-organic-farming couple raids the genetic laboratory? Why are the sheep licking their chops? Who will survive the “violence of the lambs”?

Weta Workshop did the special effects, and they were fabulous. The relatively unknown cast did a great job. The script had its moments, with some really great sheep jokes sprinkled throughout. I will never forget the scene of the sheep barreling over the hillside into the crowd of people, just like the Ork armies in Lord of the Rings. Brilliant.

If you like a horror movie with some good gore and some great jokes, check out Black Sheep. It’s not quite as good as Shaun of the Dead, but it is definitely a DVD purchase in my future.

Rating: 5 Purrs for the mint sauce and were-sheep! I mean, come on – were-sheep!!!

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