Black Sheep

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Black Sheep

55% Liked It
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Black Sheep

Oliver Driver, Peter Feeney (II), Tammy Davis, Danielle Mason, Nathan Meister

There are 40 million sheep in New Zealand and only 4 million inhabitants. After a genetic experiment goes wrong, New Zealand's sheep start turning nasty, and it's the humans who begin bleating.

Id: 10889637

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Black Sheep Recent Reviews
  • lewiskendell
    June 15, 2009
    lewiskendell
    I enjoy a good campy horror movie, but Black Sheep just didn't do it for me. I think that a person would have to have a very particular sense of humor and a bit of a sheep fetish to like this movie.

    There were a few moments that made me laugh (that sheep driving the truck of th...( read more)e cliff was just priceless), but I didn't get any thrills from most of the attempts at humor or the gore. Black Sheep was a good idea, but that's about the best thing that I can say about it.
  • PvtCaboose91
    May 5, 2009
    PvtCaboose91
    "You hear that? Sounds like somebody's sheering."


    Honestly, how can one critically scrutinise a comedic horror film with killer zombie sheep? Black Sheep is simply an unapologetic baaaaaaad movie. Anyone who abhors this movie should feel unconditionally sheepi

    ...( read more)sh. This fun barnyard zombie horror schlock exists to offer gory B-Grade thrills mingled with comedy... It delivers on its promise. It's intentionally stupid and it's highly entertaining. As the tagline states: "Get ready for the Violence of the Lambs!"


    There's plenty to be fond of in this cheesy small-budget New Zealand flick. It splendidly continues the legacy of the splatter horror genre established by Peter Jackson in his early career when he directed Braindead (a.k.a. Dead Alive) and Bad Taste. With its intriguing premise and Peter Jackson's Weta Workshop responsible for the buckets of gore, Black Sheep is undoubtedly the greatest movie ever made in cinematic history...about mutated killer sheep, that is.


    This Kiwi horror fest is a black sheep in more ways than one. Not only does it feature flocks of murderous mutated fur-balls but its originality and creativity makes it an odd one out in the crop of modern horror films - essentially a sole black sheep in a flock of otherwise white sheep. Quite simply, it's a breath of fresh air.


    As for the plot (it's more of a concept disguised as a plot, actually): Henry Oldfield (Meister) is the most forlorn of New Zealand characters - he's absolutely terrified of sheep. Dosed up on therapy, Henry returns to his family farm to sell his portion of the property to his greedy older brother Angus (Feeney). However, Henry is unaware of Angus' activities on the farm - he's recklessly genetically engineering sheep in order to build superior livestock. When a pair of inept environmentalist activists unwittingly release a mutant lamb from the laboratory, it unleashes a plague that transforms thousands of sheep into vicious, bloodthirsty, marauding balls of fluff. Add to this a mad scientist or two, a man who loves sheep a little too much, a lot of sheep mauling people, a number of weresheep AND an abundance of hilarity. There's much more to discover within, but it's far too delicious to spoil.


    Writer/director Jonathan King may or may not be endeavouring to deliver a message about the consequences of humankind's eternal mission to disrupt the natural order of nature. But make no mistake - Black Sheep ain't anything preachy. This science-gone-wrong parable is instead played predominantly for yucks and giggles. Plenty of comic mileage can easily be extracted from the sight of seemingly placid fluff-balls running amok with the bloodlust of the grimmest movie zombies. The production values are enhanced by the wonderful effects work of Weta Workshop. For the most part Black Sheep eschews digital effects; offering a seamless, excitable brew of vintage puppetry, animatronics, CGI and real-life sheep (who prove to be quite the performers). It proudly includes moments of genuine laughs mixed with grossly excessive gore. These sheep don't merely kill...they relish every opportunity to chow on innards and body parts. People are mauled and geysers of blood paint the surrounding scenery. Weta have applied their considerable talents in making the sheep believable yet hilariously exaggerated. It's three bags full of fun.


    The spirit of Black Sheep is unashamedly B-Grade. The concept of killer sheep isn't sufficient to sustain a feature-length film. Thus writer-director King is astute enough not to push the film beyond an 80-minute running time. Along the way there are humorous homages to Night of the Living Dead and An American Werewolf in London. King also manages to skewer New Age philosophy, organic food, global warming and New Zealand culture. It isn't long before the film becomes an essential parody of itself. The filmmakers noticeably had a great deal of fun coming up with this material (like people transforming into weresheep), and it shows onscreen. Never before or since have filmmakers offered the image of flatulent sheep catching fire and exploding due to the flammability of the methane.

    But I must sound this warning - if you want to live your life without ever seeing a sheep biting off a man's joy stick, you may want to shield your eyes at some point.


    Maintaining the film's B-Grade tenor, the acting is hammy and occasionally unrealistic. The amateur actors are obviously in on the joke, and are having stacks of fun. This fun is contagious. Nathan Meister is certainly watchable and likable as the hero. Danielle Mason is occasionally irritating as the environmentalist, but she always looks stunning. Other wonderful performances come courtesy of a predominantly New Zealand cast; including Peter Feeney, Tammy Davis, Glenis Levestam, Tandi Wright, Oliver Driver and Nick Fenton.


    Black Sheep takes itself none too seriously, and it's pure goofy fun. No pretensions, no magnanimous metaphors...just cheap thrills, silly laughs, and plenty of blood 'n' guts! Although extremely stupid, you'd have to be a pretty grim and cynical person not to succumb to the sheer delightfulness of the silly premise. Combining a wide multiplicity of schlock while parodying zombie movies, mad scientist plots, hippies, the overtly Green, and even family dramas - Black Sheep bites off pieces from pretty much everything before spitting it all back out as bloody chunks of fun. If you're seeking a few thrills in addition to flocks of belly laughs, Black Sheep is essential viewing. It won't change your life, but it'll perhaps make you think twice before buying a wool sweater. Hating this film is analogous to hating fun, and that's impossible right?

    It's simply a joyful, bloody riot from start to finish. I'll be damned if I ever stopped smiling.


    "I thought you of all people would appreciate efforts to deconstruct the colonialist paternalistic agrarian hierarchy that disenfranchises the Tangata Whenua and erodes the natural resources of Aotearoa."
  • ceWEBrity
    February 9, 2009
    ceWEBrity
    Competent and fun, but nothing really mindblowing. Not clever enough for any lasting camp appeal. Some of the special effects are disarmingly great for the budget at hand, however, and the filming is handsome and makes strong use of its New Zealand setting. But seriously...lighti...( read more)ng sheep farts? I'm not 13.
  • djdemersseman
    September 13, 2008
    djdemersseman
    Shear terror.

    If you have any friends you tease about their sexual relations with sheep, buy them this movie. This film might help steer them in the right direction.
  • BloodyKitten
    July 27, 2008
    BloodyKitten
    The fact that anyone even thought to make a movie about man-eating zombie sheep makes this movie a must-see on its own. On top of that, it's actually a really good watch. Bloody, hilarious, and carrying a pretty clear message. But seriously, it's about man-eating zombie sheep ...( read more)- can you possibly make an excuse not to watch it?
  • neelvparmar
    December 1, 2009
    neelvparmar
    The fact that anyone even thought to make a movie about man-eating zombie sheep makes this movie a must-see on its own. On top of that, it's actually a really good watch. Bloody, hilarious, and carrying a pretty clear message. But seriously, it's about man-eating zombie sheep can...( read more) you possibly make an excuse not to watch it?
  • McCorpse
    November 29, 2009
    McCorpse
    you get what you expect. zombie sheep. rediculous/hillarious
  • jessemcartneyrocks
    November 21, 2009
    jessemcartneyrocks
    Epic Fail, so bad its funny yet so AWESOME
  • SNOWMAN145
    November 20, 2009
    SNOWMAN145
    FOR A COMEDY, OK. FOR A HORROR, TRY AGAIN. FOR A COMEDIC HORROR, SUCKED ASS!!!!
  • Zzombiefoodd
    November 12, 2009
    Zzombiefoodd
    I liked this movie. It has an old fashioned horror movie feel and look to it.

    A man that was traumatized while living on a sheep farm returns many years later when his brother decides to sell the farm. But little does he know that his brother had genetically engineered a new she...( read more)ep that carries a mutating virus. Now anyone bit becomes a were-sheep.

    Lots of funny and messed up stuff in this movie. An all New Zealand cast complete with those awesome accents.
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