There are certain things you expect from a movie called Piranha 3D, and thankfully, the film delivers in spades. Alexandra Aja, a leading talent in a new wave of modern horror (lets just forget Mirrors, shall we?), is a director skilled enough and knowledgeable enough about his chosen genre to know exactly what he has to do to make Piranha a success, and with gratuitous nudity and excessive gore aplenty, Aja has delivered the perfect Saturday night party horror movie, and in 3D no less!
Its Spring Break time in the otherwise sleepy town of Lake Victoria, and thousands of drunken, horny and scantily clad teenagers have swarmed to the picturesque waters in search of a good time. However local Sherriff Julie Forester (Shue) has far more on her plate than usual when she learns that a recent, nearby underwater tremor has released scores of prehistoric, man-eating piranhas, which are about to invade the teen-infested waters of Lake Victoria.
With little regard for story, plot or even the actors, Aja turns the trash dials all the way up to 11 and lets loose with an unwarranted underwater lesbian ballet (featuring Kelly Brook and porn star Riley Steele if ever there was a reason to check out a movie), deranged action and extreme gore. Indeed, theres a sequence of such unflinching, snort-inducing and jaw-dropping brutality in Piranha 3D (think of that first battle scene from Saving Private Ryan but with tits) that you almost want to stand and applaud the films absurd audacity.
While the Blu-ray package is a little light on extras, consisting of a commentary from the director (more technical and serious than youd have expected), plus a few deleted scenes and a behind the scenes featurette, there are three versions of the film to choose from. Included is the film in its 3D form (a version to be used with the red/green specs provided and a version for 3D TVs) and its 2D form, wisely covering all bases and providing numerous options for the hi-def crowd. While we werent able to view the edition of the movie with the aid of a 3D TV, the specs-assisted version works surprisingly well, with those key 3D moments providing some jump in the seat thrills in the home environment.
Without the gimmick of the 3D, the film is just as effective, and quality wise, the Blu-ray presents a beautifully bright and detailed picture that really makes the sunny locales leap from the screen. The onscreen chaos is aided by terrific audio too, with the sound effects, music and dialogue coming in crystal clear. The only real problem with the 2D version is that without the spectacle and distraction of the 3D, you cant help but notice how synthetic and CG the piranhas look. It does distract slightly, but its a small price to pay for such a wonderfully deranged and over the top foray into b-movie territory. Roger Corman will be proud.
Overall Verdict: Terrifically trashy, gloriously gory and brilliant in both 2D and 3D.
Special Features:
Directors Commentary
Behind the Scenes Featurette
Deleted Scenes
Reviewer: Lee Griffiths