I can understand why something like Septic Man could be quite devisive. When your entire movie revolves around a man stuck in a sewage system – cheeky comparisons to shit and stench are inevitable, so let’s get that part out of the way: Septic Man is an absolutely astounding piece of shit, and i mean that in the most flattering way possible. If you’re looking for a horror film full of mystery and fright, then I’m not sure how you thought this would be a good idea. But if you’re in the market for something ludicrous, irrational, and genuinely disgusting – read on.

We follow Jack; a low-level public worker who is quite literally having the shittiest day of his life. While on a routine cleanup job, Jack learns that the town is being evacuated due to a water crisis. He is given an ultimatum; He can either evacuate with the rest of the town and his pregnant wife, or he can try to fix the water crisis while bagging 200k and a cushy office job in the process. As you might expect, Jack stays behind to solve the town’s water woes. From this point on things get weird… Really weird.

You might think that a film with such a playful title would be lighthearted and comical, but it isn’t. As hard as this might be to believe, Septic Man takes itself seriously. Sometimes that works to the film’s credit. Other times, it would be nice to break the almost constant darkness and hysteria with a laugh or two. Alas, the humor never arrives, and we’re left with a film that is almost completely joyless. So what’s the point? It’s gross. Super gross. If you’re one that longs for the practical FX of yesteryear, then this one’s for you. Jack’s transformation is disgusting. The extreme pollution of the town’s water supply surrounds him, and with each jump in time his condition far worsens both physically and mentally. This is what Septic Man is all about – making you wince and gasp at the extreme effects of infection and solitude. The opening scene sets you up for as much when a young woman is seen blasting bodily fluids out of both ends. If you’re turned off in that opening scene, don’t bother going any further.

But for all of its FX prowess and extreme visuals, Septic Man is not without its faults. First and foremost being the inability to see everything that is happening on screen. It is a very dark film. It’s not uncommon for shadows to completely swallow up the gnarly sights that are placed in front of you, and that’s frustrating when it happens. I found myself wanting to crank the brightness on my television at times, but sometimes the darkness let my imitation run wild. Perhaps that was the point – who knows.

If I’m being honest, I can say that my expectations were exceeded. There isn’t much happening here as far as a story goes, and what is there is hard to make sense of. As a result, the acting isn’t particularly inspiring – nor does it have to be. Septic Man delivers the goods where it counts. It’s shit-drenched nightmare fuel for germophobes across the globe. If that sounds like something you’re into – then look no further than Septic Man.

For our UK readers, Septic Man is hitting DVD on January 11th courtesy of Sharp Teeth Films. You can pre-order from Amazon at this very moment HERE. In the US? No worries. You can watch Septic Man on iTunes right HERE.

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