It should have been cause for celebration to sit down and watch a new film with Simon Pegg and Nick Frost, but Slaughterhouse Rulez doesn’t quite live up to the standard the two have set for themselves in films such as Shaun of the Dead or At World’s End. Directed by Crispian Mills, Slaughterhouse Rulez is a bit of a missed opportunity, and that’s a real shame.
Donald (Finn Cole) was lucky enough to land a spot at a prestige prep school, one that’s responsible for breeding world leaders. He never quite fits in, but he sticks with it and does the best he can. There’s a giant fracking drill that has created some sort of sinkhole on the grounds of the Slaughterhouse School. What the workers failed to realize was that at the bottom of this sinkhole are a bunch of flesh-hungry creatures ready to escape and snack on the helpless humans. A small group of students, led by Donald, will have to band together in order to save one another.
Produced by Frost and Pegg, Slaughterhouse Rulez wants to be a horror-comedy (in some aspects, it succeeds) though instead, it just descends into bland jokes and teen melodrama. The hard part for me to accept is just how unfunny it really was. The talent involved should have elevated it above mediocrity, Michael Sheen, Margot Robbie, along with Pegg and Frost, are brilliant veteran performers but add nothing to the film. The first hour of the film drags along for far too long without any real action. It focuses on the students, their relationships, and building character. It’s never a bad thing unless it somehow ends up tiresome, and in this case it does.
The second half shows some serious promise and saves the movie from being a complete waste of time. The creature design is stunning and when under pressure, the cast really begins to elevate some of the material. The young performers are much more enjoyable to watch when facing impending doom. As for the seasoned performers, well, they just deserve so much better. Pegg and Frost are always brilliant when they’re together, so we know there’s going to be trouble when you blink and miss them sharing the screen at the same time. They both have their highlight moment, but I think fans may be a bit let down knowing they’re never really together. Michael Sheen is as fantastic as ever and Margot Robbie is kind of just there (for a few short moments).
Slaughterhouse Rulez had a premise that should have been the perfect recipe for another classic featuring some amazing talent. Instead, it falls flat for a good portion of its run-time, only to be saved from being a complete disappointment by the action-packed final act. Though highly uneven, Slaughterhouse Rulez is worth at least one view, especially for hardcore fans of Pegg/Frost (even if it’s only a tease).
Slaugherhouse Rulez is now available on DVD!
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