Right now, it seems everything is coming up James Gunn and Nathan Fillion. The pair are dominating the small and big screen with their latest partnership wherein Fillion plays Guy Gardner, the oft-maligned Green Lantern of Gunn’s DCU. After delivering the best comedic quips in Superman, Gardner appeared in the opening episode of Peacemaker Season 2 as a member of the vetting board of the Justice Gang. In an even more interesting twist, Guy Gardner appears in the revamped “Previously On,” replacing Jason Momoa’s Aquaman as the butt of John Cena’s Chris Smith’s witty wrath. It’s perhaps one of the few instances where fans might actually appreciate being gaslit… or Men In Black-ed.
James Gunn and Nathan Fillion are a match made in Heaven. The latter’s natural charm and bravado give credence to the former’s writing. To find a fitting analog, one could say that Nathan Fillion is to James Gunn as Bruce Campbell is to Sam Raimi. It’s a fair comparison, as Fillion appears in all three Guardians of the Galaxy films, much as Campbell appears in all three original Spider-Man films. (We needn’t even explore the fact that both directors put their brothers in everything they do, though that is interesting, isn’t it?) More fittingly, each pair got their start together on a bonkers horror comedy film. Sam Raimi’s Evil Dead finds its mirror in James Gunn’s 2006 alien zombie horror comedy, Slither.
‘Slither’ Marks James Gunn’s Directorial Debut
James Gunn’s rise to prominence might seem unusual, and that’s because it is. Beginning with writing credits at the Center For Schlock that is Troma Entertainment, Gunn really got the attention of Hollywood with his scripts for Scooby Doo and Scooby Doo 2: Monsters Unleashed. Gunn wrote the comedy The Specials, a send-up of superpowered heroes, directed by Craig Mazin, whom many now know as the showrunner for HBO’s The Last of Us. It’s also worth noting that this film was co-produced by Peter Safran. Finally, Gunn was ready to write and direct his own feature, Slither.
Slither marks the beginning of many of James Gunn’s lasting collaborations. Michael Rooker plays the film’s anchor and de facto villain, a gruff man with the comical name of Grant Grant. After he’s infected by an alien entity emerging from a meteor, he goes from a forgettable nuisance to everybody’s problem. His wife, Starla, the damsel of the piece, is played by Elizabeth Banks, who proves throughout the run that Starla is no dainty princess in need of rescuing. The film also stars Gregg Henry as the town of Wheelsy’s profane and belligerent mayor, Jack MacReady. Eagle-eyed viewers will recognize Henry as the father of Chris Pratt’s Star-Lord in the Guardians of the Galaxy films. Slither even stars James Gunn’s then-wife, Jenna Fischer.
The standout of the film, though, is Nathan Fillion as Bill Pardy. Fillion was largely known as a television star back in 2006 for his captivating lead performance as Mal Reynolds on Joss Whedon’s Firefly. Gunn saw the potential of a screen legend in Fillion’s good looks, perpetual smirk, and endearing charm, and cast him as the hero of this offbeat comedy horror. Fillion proves to have the heroics and the hilarity needed to balance this challenging role and position himself as one of Gunn’s greatest victories and most frequent collaborators. This can be seen as either a blessing or a curse, however, as Gunn often runs his good friends through the thresher in his tales. We all recall with snide laughter and mild revulsion the fate of Fillion’s TDK in Gunn’s The Suicide Squad, after all.
Slither is, in a nutshell, an Invasion of the Body Snatchers parody film, with the body horror turned up to eleven. After Grant is infected, he seeks to infect others, eventually unleashing an army of space slugs that slither through the town and jump into the screaming open mouths of victims, joining them to a hivemind. Grant, himself, becomes a ghastly shadow of humanity augmented by tentacles and dripping ooze, all while Pardy is pushed to his limits to try to stop the invasion with little help and Chekhov’s Grenade. Honestly, the less you know, the better.
‘Slither’ Serves as a Playbook for All of James Gunn’s Films
What is particularly interesting in watching Slither in hindsight is how prescient it is to James Gunn’s overall career. It wears its influences in loud pastiche, opening with an Evil Dead-style run through the woods to establish the isolation and menace of the town of Wheelsy. The Toxic Avenger, the official mascot of Troma Entertainment, makes an appearance as the character of Brenda (Brenda James) watches the film at her home before an attack by Grant. Troma Entertainment president Lloyd Kaufman also makes a brief appearance in the film, as well as the voice of director and music legend Rob Zombie. And a certain Peter Safran gets a special thanks in the film’s closing credits.
Moreover, one sees the emergent style of James Gunn in Slither fully formed. There’s heart in the script, with the alien entity within Grant learning of love through its exposure. There’s the complicated relationship with animals often seen in Gunn’s work when Grant, howling with hunger from the beast within, succumbs to its baser needs and, in the words of a certain politician, is found “eating the dogs, eating the cats.” Then, of course, there are the pitch-perfect needle drops. James Gunn’s use of music has been a frequent source of praise, placing him right alongside such luminaries as Martin Scorsese and Quentin Tarantino. What a delight it is for his fans, then, to see that this skill was prevalent even on his first outing, nineteen years ago.
Most telling is James Gunn’s propensity to discover and nurture talent. Bringing Nathan Fillion to the forefront of a major film, even one as gross and polarizing as Slither, proved a victory for the director, the star, and the public. Fillion has emerged as a stalwart champion on screens large and small, thanks in part to the confidence placed in him by James Gunn. When that sort of collaboration and friendship occur in the public eye, we all benefit. Nathan Fillion is great in almost everything, but he’s particularly great with James Gunn’s sensibility, humor, and sincerity. If you haven’t yet seen where this all began, you owe it to yourself to experience Slither. Bear in mind, though, that it is quintessentially James Gunn: it’s honest, it’s wild, it’s a bit (okay, a lot) unsettling, but it’s ultimately fun.
Slither
- Release Date
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March 31, 2006
- Runtime
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95 minutes
