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Black Sheep

4/10

Stars: Nathan Meister, Peter Feeney, Danielle Mason, Tammy Davis, Oliver Driver

Director: Jonathan King

Killer sheep? What would Shaun say? Baaloney, perhaps. Mad farmer Angus
Oldfield (Feeney) is scientifically engineering the perfect sheep. His
brother Henry (Meister), who suffers from ovinophobia - yes, fear of
woolly animals - returns to the farm after 15 years to sell his share. He
finds it overrun by tight-faced scientists in white coats.

Everything goes pear-shaped, though, after genetically modified sheep are
bitten by a baby mutant lamb escaped from a smashed waste jar stolen by
environmentalists.

Well, the sheep go on the rampage and the results are as disgusting and
grisly as they can possibly be. Bitten in the foot, foreman Tucker
(Davis) grows a hoof; environmentalist Grant (Driver), the first to be
savaged, turns into a sheep, then a huge were-sheep. He bites into Angus,
who starts saying 'Baa' and grows a hoof for a hand.

The farm's barmy scientist (Tandi Wright, really camping it up), menaced
by a flock, conventiently runs into the woods instead of dashing back to
her lab. Henry, too, is bitten, and green campaigner Experience (Mason)
tells him to imagine he's a tree. 'I'm not a tree,' he exclaims. 'I'm a
sheep!'

Still, people seem to revert to themselves eventually, unless they've
actually had their throats ripped out. The film tries to be funny,
revolting and horrific and, to be fair, does occasionally succeed with all
three. Lots of flatulence jokes culminate in the sheep getting blown up
via their own gas. There's only limited mileage to be gained by
animatronic sheep heads gorging on human flesh but, if you must see a film
about bloodthirsty ewes, this may be your only chance.

David Quinlan

New Zealand 2006. UK Distributor: Icon. Fujicolor.
87 minutes. Not widescreen. UK certificate: 18.

Guidance ratings (out of 3): Sex/nudity 0, Violence/Horror 3, Drugs 0, Swearing 0.

Review date: 05 Oct 2007