Street Trash review
The remake of 80s cult classic Street Trash has some gooey fun with the premise.
New movie reviews will not contain spoilers.
Street Trash
Directed by Ryan Kruger
Written by Ryan Kruger and James C. Williamson
Starring Sean Cameron Michael, Donna Cormack-Thomson, Joe Vaz, Lloyd Martinez Newkirk, Shuraigh Meyer and Gary Green
Street Trash Review
1987’s Street Trash is a stone cold cult classic. I genuinely can’t remember if I’ve ever seen it, however. I certainly know of it. And it’s likely that I did watch it when I was much younger. Either way, it’s a movie that is well suited to be remade. A title that horror fans are almost certainly familiar with…that they think they maybe saw 35 years ago. Unless you’re completely against the idea of remakes…in which case I don’t know what to tell you. Except that movies like The Fly and The Thing or tomorrow’s Nosferatu wouldn’t exist if you had your way and that makes you a crazy person.
2024’s Street Trash isn’t going to be remembered like those Cronenberg/Carpenter/Eggers remakes. But that doesn’t mean it’s not an entertaining watch. It comes to us from director Ryan Kruger…who got a bit of notice back in 2020 for feature film debut, Fried Barry. The star of that film, Gary Green, returns here as one of our homeless misfits…2-Bit. He can see and hear a gross little puppet creature named Sockle. They make for an entertaining duo…and a clear sign that Street Trash isn’t going to choose to go the hardline political commentary route. It’s surprising for a story about the eradication of a section of people society has deemed expendable…but it’s probably the right choice.
Mayor Mostert (Warrick Grier) has a radical plan to solve the homeless problem. He’s going to melt them all. When a group of homeless people uncover the plot…it’s time for them to fight back.
Street Trash has a lot of colorful characters. It’s what makes the decision to choose silliness over serious work. Hanging out with the homeless crew is fun. We meet them through the eyes of newcomer Alex (Donna Cormack-Thomson). The death of one of their own opens their eyes to what Mayor Mostert is up to. Eradicating homelessness in the most disgusting way possible. It pushes the group into action…which is, of course, immediately thwarted by his police force. This is a clear story of power vs an overwhelmed resistance…even if it would rather go for a punchline than a deep thought.
The movie opens with a demonstration of Mostert’s experiment. It sets the stage for a series of oozy, gooey, practical effect laden deaths. It’s sick stuff, to be sure…but it’s a fun sickness. Or, at least, a slimy one. The gore effects are fantastic. Dayglow slime oozes from every melting pore. If fun practical effects are something you look for in a movie…Street Trash has plenty of it on display.
Our homeless gang has more to worry about than just Mayor Mostert’s plans. The Rat King’s gang is out in full force patrolling their streets. Your immediate thought when you see a rival gang is that their inclusion will lead to scenes of people melting that you’ll enjoy seeing get what’s coming to them. Street Trash ends up taking things in a more interesting and unexpected direction. It’s a good example of how the film succeeds despite its being tonally all over the place. We move from imaginary puppet creatures to melting people to punchlines to slight social commentary without warning. The Rat King gang are a threat…but the story chooses to defy expectations. A more realistic and interesting path is opened…even if it stands in direct conflict with a puppet opening fire on a group of police. The choices always feel right for the world of Street Trash. They just don’t always feel like they belong in the same story.
Street Trash offers up a host of amusing characters and threatens them with a gooey bad time. Terrific practical effects and genuinely funny moments make for a fun time. The movie only leans so far into the obvious social commentary about the war on homelessness happening in the real world. It’s the basis for the entire plot…but rarely does the story probe much deeper into those ideas and parallels. Instead, Street Trash aims for a fun ride with a group of likable people looking to turn the tables on their situation. With the help of an imaginary puppet and largely lacking the ability to do so.
Remakes are often a tricky proposition. The word itself is enough to make horror fans bristle. Hardline remake haters may find this version of Street Trash unnecessary despite the war on the homeless raging louder than ever in real life. The film itself chooses a direction that is much more entertaining than preachy. It accentuates the gore and comedy of the world instead of the hopelessness of the situation. Part revenge fantasy, part gallows humor…mostly it’s looking for a laugh and a squirm. If only all remakes chose to take themselves so unserious. Even when they tackle a serious topic.
Scare Value
Street Trash chooses silly over commentary more often than not. The result is a bit of a struggle to set a solid tone…but it delivers enough fun not to mind. Practical gore effects are top notch. There are plenty of laughs to be had. A ragtag group of heroes to follow give Street Trash the proper momentum. While it’s surprising how little the movie chooses to say about its subject…an imaginary talking puppet is a more than acceptable replacement.
3.5/5
Street Trash Link
Streaming on SCREAMBOX December 27
