I’m very happy that I one of the first web critic to review this movie, I am a big fan of “Shooting Sizemore” the realty based Television show that documents the life of actor Tom Sizemore, and his struggle with addiction. In a way you can say that this film helped save his life. As you may or may not know, Tom Sizemore has been battling a
drug addiction for sometime now. And to date as far as I know, he’s been getting better and better and is slowly getting his career on track. Although Bottom Feeder is only a mild budget horror film, it’s shows that Sizemore is still the great actor that he always was. And as for the movie it’s self, well it’s your normal monster film with a basic plot and a straight to the point simple story line.
Bottom Feeder is about a doctor who has come up with a drug that is able to heal people with defects, such a burns, scars and other abnormalities. However when a rich, mob boss type acquires the services of the doctors drug because of the bad burns he suffered. He injects the doctor with the serum first, to see what the side effects will be and if it safe to take. Turns out that this serum has a side effect, it makes people hungry; hungry for protein. And well whatever you eat you become. In this case the good old doctor is locked in the bowels of an old abandon hospital and the only thing he can eat is the rats that are down there with him. He himself then becomes a big giant nasty rat, but the serum also makes him a blood thirsty killer in search of more than just more rat meat. Meanwhile we have a team of state workers ( Lead by Sizemore) who are at the abandon hospital in an attempt to lock the place down so no trespassers will enter the place, but they are also there to find what riches lie in the hospital as well. However they get more than they bargain for when they run into the creature that this doctor has become, and the thugs who made him that way. The film then turns into a battle for survival.
The film has a pretty simple solid script and is straight to the point. There really not much bullshit that drags the script along, it’s follows a simple storyline and sticks with it. Bottom Feeder is pretty much a high budget B/Monster movie. It has that feel like your watching a Roger Corman horror flick from the 1960’s 70’s & 80’s. It’s not the best made movie but it works. The overall directing and pacing of the film is decent and the story gets told in due time. The editing is a little rough around the edges and does take away from the film a bit, but all in all it’s not a big issue that I think most horror fans will have with this film.
When it comes to acting Tom Sizemore steals the show. It’s obvious with all the problems he has been facing that man can still come to work and be amazing in front of the camera. I know there were times that he almost walked off the set, and quit working on this project. But he held though and it paid off for him. I think he did such a good job that he helped the rest of the cast acting ability out. Needless to say Mr. Sizemore did out act the rest of the cast, but his co-stars were not half bad.
The overall production value of the film was pretty decent, it had a simple plot which called for minimal locations, and it actually helped this film out tremendously. The make-up and creature effects were really good. However in some of the death scenes that involved decapitations it was obvious that the victims heads were fake. But overall the effect for the most part we’re pretty good. This film had a decent amount of blood and gore, and there’s a classic jaw rip scene at the end of the film, which I think is one of the best kill scenes I’ve seen in a while.
Overall, Bottom Feeder is a decent mid budget horror film. It has it flaws, but it’s a simple horror film with a basic, original plot. The story is easy to follow and the pacing is perfect. It might not be a film for everyone but; to say the least I found it to be quite enjoyable.
– Horror Bob
- Interview with J.R. Bookwalter - January 22, 2015
- Interview with Andrew J. Rausch - January 22, 2015
- Interview with Rick Popko and Dan West - January 22, 2015
- Interview with Director Stevan Mena (Malevolence) - January 22, 2015
- Interview with Screenwriter Jeffery Reddick (Day of the Dead 2007) - January 22, 2015
- Teleconference interview with Mick Garris (Masters of Horror) - January 22, 2015
- A Day at the Morgue with Corri English (Unrest) - January 22, 2015
- Interview with Writer/Director Nacho Cerda (The Abandoned, Aftermath) - January 22, 2015
- Interview with Actress Thora Birch (Dark Corners, The Hole, American Beauty) - January 22, 2015
- Interview with Actor Jason Behr, Plus Skinwalkers Press Coverage - January 22, 2015
