New York, seven years into a nuclear dystopian future. Our protagonists are Cory (Kealan Patrick Burke) and Alexa (Jennifer Bihl), who are fugitives from the military. They run across Alice (Debbie Rochon) and Mason (Lee Perkins), and the four of them set up shop in an abandoned building. The boys discover a supply of wine and non-expirable yogurt, and they all partake, as food and beverages are scarce. Unfortunately, the yogurt is made of spirit goo that causes possession by members of a cult from the ’50s, which in turn leads to slimy discharge and increased murder-iness.
It’s a sequel to the 1988 film Slime City, which I haven’t seen. Post-apocalyptic settings aren’t normally my cup of tea, but I was curious what kind of actor Kealan Patrick Burke would be, as he’s better known for his horror novels. My answer is that he’s pretty good.
Aesthetically, it’s a treat. The slime is delightfully colorful; you can see the dayglow ’80s influence. The sets are great. The makeup and practical special effects are disgusting and realistic. (The computer-generated effects are less impressive, but thankfully they’re not overused.) The characters are ratty and disheveled from living on the streets, and they look it–the effort made by the filmmakers for authenticity really shines through. And look at this sweet artwork from the opening credits!
The title implies that the movie is a cheesy gorefest, and it is, particularly the sex cult flashback scenes, where the acting is passable but definitely weaker than in the present-day plotline. But there are pleasantly cogent points made about class issues. The movie posits the idea that impoverished people are still people. The protagonists are scrappy and canny survivors, doing the best they can with what they have. It was released in 2010, but it’s still quite timely, with the villain being a shady real estate developer named Ronald Crump–yes, you read that correctly, Ronald Crump. He sees the people squatting in a building he wants to commandeer for his own gain and sneers that they’re waste because they don’t work or pay rent. There’s also an interesting metaphor that eating the yogurt is comparable to drug use, as anyone who eats it suffers withdrawal and commits regrettable acts under its influence.
I was pretty impressed, overall. It’s no timeless masterpiece, but it charmed me. Check it out if you’re in the mood for something fun and silly but not brainless.
GhoulieJoe 
I’ve been meaning to see this since it came out! Glad to hear it’s alright. The original is precisely the kind of movie I love — old and dirty with cool effects. Street Trash is a similar, gooier, more direct commentary on the devastating effects of substance abuse. Unfortunately they just remade it. Ugh.
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It’s on Tubi, you should watch! I guess I wouldn’t be averse to watching the original. Ugh remakes!
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I’ve never heard of such a thing but I trust you!
Ronald Crump huh? Smooth. I wonder if their audience got it? As a lactose intolerant man if I ever want some ice cream tasting product I have to eat yogurt. I hope I’m not doomed 😞
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If the yogurt is colored the neon of ’80s workout apparel, give it a miss.
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Noted! And here’s a reminder to never build creating an exoskeleton out of your own body in an AI design software.
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Jolly good, thank you for the reminder!
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This won me over — “Unfortunately, the yogurt is made of spirit goo that causes possession by members of a cult from the ’50s, which in turn leads to slimy discharge and increased murder-iness.”
Didn’t even need to read further (I mean, I did, but nothing more needed to be said to convince me this needs to be watched!).
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Thank you! It was good fun, I hope you like it!
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