ViewGuide

Created Jun 07, 2008 11:44AM PST • Edited Jun 07, 2008 11:44AM PST

1. Quality

2. Summary

   OK 2.5

   “Black Sheep” sounds a hell of a lot funnier than it is. Whereas even the trailers could have you rolling around laughing, the finished product isn’t anywhere near as hilarious as it should be, instead breaking up the serious horror writer-director Jonathan King tries to breed out of his ludicrous storyline – killer sheep – with broad jokes that amount to wide-eyed stares at bloodthirsty sheep and even some bestiality jokes late on. This inspires some laughs for sure – as in one character’s encounter with another who (spoiler here) is beginning a transformation into a sheep himself following an encounter with a hideous lamb-out-of-the-jar – and “Black Sheep” avoids being terrible simply in its inherent campiness. King gets his wires crossed though, and the end effect is a comedy-horror that isn’t that funny and is never once scary.

4. Acting

   Good 3.0

   The little cast of unknowns do their bit, but too often differ between bland and over-the-top, Peter Feeney’s tongue-in-cheek portrayal of antagonist Angus the most notable contribution.

5. Male Stars Good 3.0

6. Female Stars Good 3.0

7. Female Costars Good 3.0

8. Male Costars Good 3.0

10. Film

    OK 2.5

    “Black Sheep” was shot on a low budget and it shows, the New Zealand terrain on which the film is set captured in unimpressive aesthetic. The characters interactions are occasionally humorous – vegan hippie Experience’s (Danielle Mason) lectures on animal cruelty is mocking satire, if obvious – but are typically created to service the plot and, as such, don’t feel organic. Director King’s filming, meanwhile, too often relies on bland shots of the landscape and ludicrous limb-devouring to lend much atmosphere.

11. Direction OK 2.5

12. Play Good 3.0

13. Music Good 3.0

14. Visuals OK 2.5
15. Content

16. Edge

    Risqué 2.5

    Predictably violent as it should be, next to no sex-related elements save for the bestiality gags, and the typical rudeness inspired amongst characters plunged into the worst time of their life.

17. Sex Titillating 2.1

18. Violence Brutal 3.5

19. Rudeness Salty 2.0

21. Reality

    Surreal 2.7

22. Circumstantial Surreal 2.7

23. Biological Surreal 2.7

24. Physical Surreal 2.7