Jonathan A., here…
THE FILM
Written and Directed by Chad Archibald, “Bite” is an effectively fun gross-out extravaganza.
“Bite” is the story of Casey; a young, bride-to-be who contracts a mysterious bug bite while celebrating her bachelorette part on a tropical island vacation with her friends. Quickly, this bite turns out to be something far worse. As Casey succumbs to her wound, she transforms into something completely unrecognizable and her loved ones are helpless witnesses to her horrifying metamorphosis.
Filled to the bursting point with juicy and wonderfully disgusting practical FX and a few really awful CG elements, the viewer gets a clear sense of just how much fun the team had making this film. With countless vomiting scenes, pus-filled wounds and other tasty stuff, this is certainly a perfect film for a dinner party.
Relative newcomer Elma Begovic did an excellent job playing the tortured female lead “Casey”. Not only does she portray a terrifying villain, but throughout her transformation, you feel sympathy for her character. Unfortunately, her strong performance is undermined by a very weak supporting cast and a very mediocre script.
THE VIDEO/AUDIO
Presented in 1080p high def, this Blu-ray doesn’t look half bad. There is a pleasant sharpness to the film and enough clarity to make you want to gag over the details in the grossest scenes. Deep blacks throughout and a unique, pestilent look to the film’s second half both provide solid reasons to view this film in the Blu-ray format.
The audio, presented in 5.1 Dolby surround, is well-executed and effective. The surround effect, while subdued, is still noticeable and each squishy sound effect is clear and plenty realistic enough to turn your stomach.
THE EXTRAS
Audio Commentary – This is a somewhat bland commentary with Director and producers. I was underwhelmed by it.
Makeup (5:42) – This featurette takes a look at some of the process involved in the practical FX within the film. Sadly, it consisted more of interviews than looks at the actual FX that were created. I was disappointed by this.
On Set (6:02) – A fun behind-the-scenes look at the sets created for the film. Interviews with the cast and crew gave some fun insight to the making of the film.
Fantasia (5:53) – This is simply a pretty boring discussion of the film’s premiere at the Fantasia International Film Fest. I found this to be completely worthless.
Chad’s Wedding (5:16) – A baffling inclusion, this featurette focuses on the director’s wedding in Spain. Why?
Dominican (5:30) – Cast and crew briefly discuss the experience they had when filming in the Dominican Republic. Not much added value here.
Theatrical Trailer (1:23) – Trailer for the film.
THE ULTIMATE WORD
“Bite” is a fun and gross film, sure to please any fan of body horror. It’s not the film of the year, and despite the underwhelming supporting cast, I still got a kick out of this movie and was impressed by Elma Begovic’s strong performance and the fantastic practical FX. Any horror film that makes it difficult for me to eat yogurt for a few days after watching it gets points in my book.
RECOMMENDED!
-Jonathan Atterbury