Between Fear Zone columnist Michael Louis Calvillo's new novel As Fate Would Have It, and the upcoming big screen adaptation of Jack Ketchum's THE OFFSPRING, you're going to see a lot of cannibal coverage on this site. Mmmm, human flesh! I'd like to get the meatball rolling with CANNIBALLISTIC!, the low budget first film by Fear Zone favorite James Felix McKenney (THE OFF SEASON and AUTOMATONS).

CANNIBALLISTIC! (spelled CanniBallistic!)is a low budget, shot on video 2002 idie, which means that a lot of people will thumb their noses at it as if they could do better. It ain't that easy, fellas. Fortunately, McKenney delivers sly humor, effective suspense, and a decent amount of gore in this little gem, which is likely to please most real horror fans.

Co-writer Don Wood stars as Will, who survives a car crash in the woods in the film's opening moments. Will's companion isn't so lucky, and Will, trapped inside the toppled vehicle, apparently only survives because he saw the film ALIVE. Later, Will moves to what he hopes is a secluded house in the woods, where he tries in vain to live an isolated existence as a vegetarian. Unfortunately for his diet, there are plenty of neighbors around, and single women insist on bringing him dinner of the medium-rare variety, which only results in blood red desserts. The bodies pile up until one intrepid gal decides to answer the question, "Where's the beef?" and discovers the shocking, protein-filled truth.

The screenplay offers moments of biting satire and Wood is excellent in the lead; he reminded me of Terry O'Quinn in THE STEPFATHER. A ctually, this whole film reminded me of THE STEPFATHER, with its sardonic take on Americana. If you're going to borrow tone, it's best to borrow from a smart film liemk THE STEPFATHER, which actually has some sauce on its noodle, than a masked killer movie. While CanniBallistic! is neither as original, artful or fully realized as McKenney's later films, and it's obviosuly a first feature, it is nevertheless more entertaining than any of the big screen slasher film remakes that have hit theatres in the last half decade.

The director really impressed me with two sequences: the opening crash, which manages to be completely convincing despite the production's micro-budget, and the film's climax. Here we have the Stepf--er, Hungry Man Will, limping after his intended victim, outside in broad daylight, over a little bitty stream and inside a storm drain, and damn me if the firection, editing and music didn't have me on the edge of my sofa. It really is a very well executed slice of slasher mayhem, even though the film is probably more memorable for its well done humor than its raw horror.

I found myself thinking about CANNIBALLISTIC! for several weeks after watching it, and look forward to seeing it again. It's definitely worth seeking out, as are McKenney's other flicks.