Violent New Breed   B+

Year Released: 1997
MPAA Rating: Not Rated
Director: Todd Sheets
Writer: Todd Sheets
Cast: Mark Glover, Nick Stodden, Dave Miller, Rebecca Rose, Jennifer Geigel, Jerry Angell, Becky Stodden, Jody Rovick, Kathleen McSweeny, Rudy Ray Moore.

Violent New Breed is what these micro-budget shot-on-video horror flicks should be all about. From the atmospheric, quirky opening to the silly but satisfying ending, Violent New Breed is a fun ride, full of gory violence and welcome gobs of nudity.

The movie focuses on a cop named Jack (Mark Glover) who's up against a gang of evil demons called the "Breeders," who are intent on taking over the world by using a hallucinogenic drug to enslave the humans. This is coming from writer-director Todd Sheets, so expect lots of extreme violence. Unlike some of his peers, though, Sheets knows how to keep the story moving along at a brisk pace and maintain interest all the way through.

The main characters are likable and have some depth (unlike the cardboard cutouts usually seen in the realm of micro-budget horror). There's some drama, too, involving Jack's ex-wife trying to prevent him from seeing their daughter (Rebecca Rose) ever again -- but the mother is really screwing the leader of the Breeders. After Jack's ex-wife calls him and says he's never going to see his daughter again, he becomes suicidal. There's a stunning -- and very bloody -- sequence in which Jack attempts to slit his wrists in the bathtub, but the outcome is entirely unexpected.

The inspired script has a few cool twists, and you can't help but get involved in the action. Sheets and company must have had a great time making this one. Some of the digital effects look pretty laughable, but that only adds to the low-budget charm.

If you're a B-movie fan, Violent New Breed is a ride worth taking. It's very ambitious, with a huge cast of Breeders and countless human victims. If you have a weak stomach, you might wanna pass because you'll be subjected to things like heads splitting open to release blood-sucking slugs, satanic orgies with demons screwing human women, tentacles bursting through stomachs, and a very gruesome birth. If you're familiar with Todd Sheets (whose extensive list of credits include Bloodthirsty Cannibal Demons, Zombie Bloodbath 1 and 2, Moonchild, and Dead Things), you know the joy he takes in extreme close-ups of violence and gore, and he doesn't hold back here. And in this movie, not even little kids are spared. Sheets has balls, I tell ya.

There's a cool Hitchcockian twist about an hour into the flick, but I won't give it away. There's a kick-ass chase scene and even drive-in legend Rudy Ray Moore in his first-ever horror film role (as a kung-fu fighting reverend, in fact)! At an hour and 54 minutes in length, it's a little long, but that's not such a bad thing. If you're new to the world of shot-on-video horror flicks, this would be a great place to start.

Review published 02.04.2000.

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