Slither

Slither is a 2006 American science fiction horror-comedy film directed by James Gunn and starring Nathan Fillion, Elizabeth Banks, and Michael Rooker. The film takes place in the small town of Starkey, Idaho, where the lives of the residents are turned upside down when an alien parasite infects the town's inhabitants, transforming them into zombies and grotesque mutants. At the center of the story is Grant Grant (played by Nathan Fillion), a well-meaning but dim-witted man who has just returned to his hometown of Starkey after a decade away. Grant tries to reintegrate himself into his old life, but he's met with hostility from the townspeople, including his father, Kent (played by Michael Rooker), who's obsessed with the possibility of alien life and has lost touch with reality. Grant soon discovers that his friend, Dorrin (played by Gregg Henry), has been acting strangely and seems to be in the grip of some sort of bizarre possession. It becomes clear that his friend has been infected with an alien parasite by a mysterious and attractive woman, Starla (played by Elizabeth Banks), who has just arrived in town. The alien parasite, known as an 'slug,' is a worm-like creature that invades the host's body and gradually takes over, consuming their internal organs and turning them into monstrous creatures. As the parasite grows stronger, it begins to infect more and more townspeople, turning them into zombies with an insatiable hunger for flesh. The town descends into chaos as the zombies and mutants roam the streets, attacking anyone who's still human. The infected creatures, now under the control of the alien parasite, are relentless in their pursuit of human flesh, and the town's residents are powerless to stop them. As the body count rises, Grant and the remaining uninfected townsfolk are forced to band together to survive the alien invasion. They form a makeshift resistance, and they hatch a plan to try and defeat the alien parasite and banish it back to space. However, things take a complicated turn when it becomes clear that Starla is not just infected with the alien parasite; she's also pregnant with its offspring, and she appears to be enjoying the transformation of her body into a grotesque mutant. Meanwhile, the town's Mayor, Jack Macready (played by Trevor Fehrman), reveals that he's been working on a plan to exploit the parasite's abilities for the town's own gain, which involves using infected townsfolk to terrorize the surrounding towns and townspeople. In a bizarre twist, it's revealed that the alien parasite has been awakened by an earlier, experimental space probe, which crashed in the town's woods, releasing its contents. Now, the parasite has the opportunity to consume the entire town's population and evolve into its true form. The climax of the movie takes a dark and comedic turn as Grant, Starla, and the remaining human survivors engage in a desperate battle to defeat the alien parasite and escape the town. Along the way, they encounter a variety of terrifying mutated creatures, including giant, flesh-eating centipedes and an army of zombie-like creatures that can survive multiple decapitations. In the end, Grant manages to defeat the alien parasite by using a device that's meant to transmit a signal to the extraterrestrial civilization that originally sent the probe to Earth. The parasite is destroyed, but not before it infects the town's sheriff, Bill Pardy (played by Michael Rooker), who undergoes a grotesque transformation into a giant, worm-like creature before the device destroys him. In the aftermath of the invasion, the town is left to pick up the pieces and rebuild. Grant and Starla have developed a complex and dark relationship; they're haunted by the horrors they've witnessed and the lives they've lost in the battle against the alien parasite. The film ends with a hint that not everything has been resolved, and that the town's struggle against the forces of darkness may be far from over. Slither is a horror-comedy that pays homage to classic sci-fi and horror movies, combining campy humor with intense, gross-out moments and genuine scares. The film's over-the-top plot and characters add to its campy charm, making it a fun and entertaining ride for horror fans.