I don't think I have ever seen a movie as nihilistic and ugly as Meat Kills (Vleesdag). This is a film without any heroes. No one has a redemption arc and nothing is gained by anyone. It's a cynical, bitter movie about nothing but hatred and the escalation of hatred.
When the credits rolled, I sat with my confusion. Why would someone make this? It's definitely a throwback to early 2000s tortureporn (as much as I hate that term) such as Hostel (2005) or Saw (2004), but those films had messages. They offered dry commentary on a broken healthcare system, greed, and American entitlement. Those films had characters to root for, even if they were antiheroes, such as John Kramer, the Jigsaw killer. People learned lessons in the most brutal ways imaginable, and that was satisfying, especially when they were guilty of doing horrific things.
Then I woke up this morning and it fell into place. Either Meat Kills is just a gorefest with no redeeming value, or it's making a very profound statement on our current political and cultural landscape. And I think it's the latter. In my mind, the shocking final scene confirms that this film is an allegory.
But it's also a fair reaction to be disgusted (if you make it through the whole thing) and even angry. This was my initial reaction, and if that's what you're left with, that's valid. This is not the "fun" gore and violence of the Terrifier series. It's meanspirited and bleak, with no winking to the audience, or tongue-in-cheek satire.
Meat Kills is a reflection of the deep polarizations in modern discourse. It's a film about extremism and how people on "the other side" are dehumanized to the point where "they" are considered nothing more than animals. It's about wanting to find your tribe and feel connected to a cause. It's about how idealistic people can get swept up into hate groups and how bigotry and cyclical violence is passed down to our children. When ugliness spreads, it's hard to find a glimmer of light on either "side". Those glimmers are portrayed here, but realistically. Is it possible for a person to find compassion for someone who is willing to destroy your family for their cause? Most likely, not.
The story is about Mirthe (Caro Derkx), who secretly films some video inside a pig slaughterhouse in an effort to join an animal rights group run by the radical Nasha (Emma Josten) who has devoted her life to saving animals and exposing their "murderers". It's important to note that this is a small family farm, not an industrial slaughterhouse, and as near as I can tell, the footage Mirthe shoots isn't particularly horrifying. In fact, we barely see any pigs in the entire movie. That's also important, because it's not really about the pigs...the initial cause of contention...but about how hatred can get more and more ingrained into personal identity.
Jonas (Bart Oomen), the patriarch of the family, views himself as a provider of food to the community and the farm as a means for supporting his family. He can see no validity to any of the concerns raised by animal rights. The activists see him as nothing more than a murderer perpetuating a culture of cruelty. There is truth in both positions, but it all gets lost in rhetoric and beliefs that become crusades. Extremists will always find ways to justify their own acts of barbarism. As a result, Meat Kills offers a slate of characters that I didn't want to see die, but just for one of them to find a shred of goodness. I desperately wanted someone I could identify with and latch onto. Mirthe comes close, as does one of the farmer's sons. They are each caught between compassion and idealism. And when the violence heats up, their "sides" force them to make decisions. Coercion, misinformation, fake news, and desperately wanting to fit in, are all tools for legitimizing internal hatred.
The horror elements of Meat Kills are impressive. The barnyard stalls are dark, bloody, and grimey, evoking House of 1000 Corpses (2003), and the farmhouse itself is lived-in and claustrophobic. In general, the kills are visceral and brutal, with top-notch practical effects. Lots and lots of guts and gore, with an equal amount of tension and scares. And hey, I always have a soft spot for a good meat hook scene. I never wanted to take my eyes off the screen because with this many unhinged characters, it's impossible to predict what will come next.
Look, Meat Kills will be a hard watch for just about anyone. If you're a hardcore horror fan, you will love the intensity and the kills, and on that level, you might have a lot of fun with the movie. But take a moment to consider what this film is trying to say. How sad is it that one of the most honest films I've seen this year, the one that most closely echoes this disturbing era we are in, is a film that has no winners, only losers.
