The ‘villain’ in horror cinema comes in many shapes and sizes, including strange mythical creatures, supernatural terrors, terrifying children or simply just a human who has gone very, very bad. The one thing they usually have in common is that they’re living, breathing, intelligent entities. But that’s not always the case. We’ve been tormented by a killer tyre, sofa, car, fridge, heater, clock and much, much more. In Slaxx, we’re taken on a seat of our pasts experience.
Libby (Romane Denis) can hardly contain her excitement. Not only is she starting a new job at Canadian Cotton Clothiers, whose fair trade and ethically sourced branding is something she has loved for years, but on the night before Monday Madness, the biggest day of their year and the release date for their game-changing new body-adaptive jeans. It’s set to be the best day of her life. What could possibly go wrong?
It would have been quite easy for Elza Kephart to make a film which was simply about a pair of killer jeans. Instead, we’re treated to a cutting (strangling, squeezing, crushing) environmental/ethical satire on the clothing industry. The difficulty is in delivering on this premise and Slaxx does so in spades. Working within the limitations of the premise, we’re treated to a slick and bloody slice of horror cinema. Slaxx takes no prisoners and fits snuggly into the most unlikely sub-genre.
Slaxx premieres on Shudder on 18 March.
