It’s about a sudden underwater tremor which sets free scores of the prehistoric man-eating fish, forcing an unlikely group of strangers to band together to stop themselves from becoming fish food for the area’s new razor-toothed residents.
Piranha 3D was directed by Alexandre Aja (best known for The Hills have Eyes remake and Crawl) and stars Elisabeth Shue (from Hollow Man), Adam Scott (from Krampus and Little Evil), Jerry O’Connell (from Room 6), Steven R McQueen, Jessica Szohr, Ving Rhames (from Dawn Of The Dead) and Dina Meyer (from Starship Troopers and Saw II), plus some really big names that many will recognize.
There’s Something in the Water
To name just a few: Kelly Brook, Riley Steele, Richard Dreyfuss, Christopher Lloyd, Eli Roth, Ashlynn Brooke, Gianna Michaels.
And yes, you counted correctly. There are at least three adult movie stars listed here but let us not get sidetracked. Let’s review Piranha 3D!
During my teenage years (good old 90’s) my parents bought a VCR and there was this awesome store where you could find almost anything. From top blockbusters to total trash tier films. The guy who worked there really loved recommending “B-Horror” (more like C or D level) to us youngsters and that is probably the same time I fell in love with the campy horror style still present in modern horror.
Once I saw Piranha 3D I immediately got hit by nostalgia. It’s one of those horrors that feels like watching the film from the 90’s but with a bigger budget and all the charms that go with modern, but for some odd reason, low cost looking CGI. So, yes… from start to finish It’s a BLAST!
A lot of reviews I read regarding horror movies focus on the negatives and why the film doesn’t work. From CGI, acting, multiple plot holes, lack or overuse of jump scares and twists, but what I realized over the years is that all you need for a good movie is great chemistry between the crew. The movie can be about anything but if this main ingredient is missing the movie will never work the way it was intended. Did Zombeavers just pop into your mind? Yes, same for me! That, and of course, you also have to be prepared for what the movie actually advertises. So if it’s a campy, gory, action packed sci-fi horror with CGI piranhas and “some” nudity, then that is what you need to be ready for.
Some of the cons I noticed from a lot of people regarding this film are the bad soundtrack, lack of acting talents, horrible CGI… but trust me, you won’t even notice the soundtrack. Acting is not excellent but it works nicely and the action scenes are numerous with a lot of good kills. The story is believable (use some imagination LOL), and the twist is fun. Plus, there is also a romantic side with our main protagonist… boy likes girl, girl likes boy, some type of drama, boy saves girl = profit (might sound weird, but I’m a big fan of these).
So, all in all, there are a lot more positive things and if you love the campy fun style in horror movies with prehistoric killer piranhas this one is a must watch. Without wanting to venture into spoiler territory, just be ready for some really bloody scenes once our hungry aquatic friends reach the spring breakers and turn their college party into an all you can eat buffet.
For horror fans that love to pick their favorite characters, one liners and notable scenes, Piranha 3D has plenty to offer. Mine was definitely with Derrick Jones (played by Jerry O’Connell, star of the sci-fi series Sliders – the Rick and Morty of the 90’s). Derrick is a sleazy pornographer who uses Spring Break to find his next girl and films his shots of “Wild Wild Girls” aboard “The Barracuda”. With an introduction like this you know his scenes will be crazy fun.
Worth Watching?
No doubt, an awesome creature feature with plenty of fun gory scenes for you to enjoy. Excellent for a movie night with friends. Throw in a pizza and some drinks and you’re all set!
