1988's THE BLOB has long had favorable notices, but to me it barely rates as the '80s Guilty Pleasure I was expecting. Fact, I've yet to see a blob film that truly delivers on its premise. The original 1958 film with Steve McQueen was fair but forgettable. Larry Hagman even directed a 1972 version that was pretty damned silly. Maybe this material isn't inherently ripe for the molding into something beyond a creature feature. Political subtexts are always there, yet it never really becomes something more than a goofest. Director Chuck Russell co-wrote his remake with Frank (SHAWSHANK REDEMPTION) Darabont, no less, but no points for, well, anything, are scored.
Arborville is a sleepy California town that lives and dies by its ski seasons and high school football. It's about to get a whole lot more exciting: a meteorite crashes on the outskirts and deposits a weird slimy substance that gets itself on the hand of an elderly derelict. Once he's brought to the hospital, all hell breaks loose. The blob disembowels and devours much of the cast as local motorcycle riding rebel Brian (Kevin Dillon) and homecoming queen Meg (Shawnee Smith) learn the truth about this toxic Jello - it has been created by government scientists as a weapon in biological warfare. There is also the Rev. Meeker (Del Close), who acts increasingly suspicious....
THE BLOB's conspiracy theories (political and religious) are fairly interesting, but also quite tired. With a plot that includes a town quarantine I would've expected it to feel more immediate in this era of COVID, but that didn't happen. Had I seen this movie during its original release (when I was still a teenager) I probably would've been more impressed with it. Russell's direction is bland, with little suspense or atmosphere created, and the special effects are just so-so. The characters are also quite dull, rendering their fates as apathetic. Even in the trashiest of B-movies there has to be some sort of emotional impact.
It has its moments, especially for Undemanding Schocky Film Night. I have to concur that the plunger scene is pretty great. The "ribbed" line is worth a grin. Dillon never exhibits the charisma of his more famous sibling, but at least Jack Nance has an amusing cameo.
.jpg)
Comments