Reviewed By Scott Weinberg
If there were a whole list of movies about killer mutated sheep and the horrific things they do to people, Jonathan King's Black Sheep would undoubtedly be the very best of the bunch. But since it's the only movie I know of with this particular premise, let's just call it a really funny, not very scary, enthusiastically gory, and surprisingly "lovely to look at" little import from the genre geeks in New Zealand.

Definitely NOT to be mistaken for a movie that takes itself seriously, Black Sheep is a splatter-time genre comedy that takes a few cues from the early works of Sam Raimi and (especially) Peter Jackson, and then infuses them with just enough freshness and enthusiasm to make the effort worthwhile. You've heard the plot a hundred times before (genetic engineering turns animals loco!) but damn if first-time director King doesn't deliver an energetic little treat.

When the movie's not delivering sly little quips and broadly amusing performances, it's focusing on some of the craziest sheep-related carnage you could ever imagine. And yes, it's all absurd. That's kind of the point. Just take a look at the DVD cover for a second. If your first reaction is "Oh jeez, how stupid," then you should probably just move on to something darker. If, on the other hand, your first reaction is to grab the DVD case with both hands, stare at it for seven seconds, and exclaim "Ha, hey guys, look at this one," then you're bound to have a good time with the Sheep.

Not so much a spoof or a satire as it is a "straight" comedy in a horror flick's clothing, Black Sheep is at its best when it's doling out the mayhem, but fortunately for Mr. King ... he had a fine casting director. Nathan Meister and Peter Feeney are quite excellent as a pair of outrageously mis-matched brothers, and the plucky Danielle Mason steals a whole bunch of scenes as the gal along for the ride.

Most likely you'll be sitting down with Black Sheep because you can't continue living until you see killer mutated sheep and the violence of the lambs and all that jazz -- but it's good to know that the "in-between" bits (you know, the stuff with all the plot and dialogue) is actually entertaining. The movie's breezy and quick during the 'dry' moments and it's monumentally giddy when it comes to the chomps, the kills, and the mega-freaky mutant material.

Special props go out to the gore department and the unexpectedly stunning cinematography by Richard Bluck. It's reassuring to know that some countries approach "indie horror" with some degree of class and quality. (Well, we do it sometimes, but not too often.) The flick might not be the next cult-flick phenomenon, but it's quite a bit better that "not baa-aaa-aaad." (Oh, come on, you knew that was coming.) You probably missed the flick during its perfunctory theatrical release, but fear not: This is a movie tailor-made for beer night with the buddies. It's just plain old simple fun, particularly for those who A) love monster movies, and B) have long yearned to see a bunch of sheep go carnivore. I know I have.

The Weinsteins might not always know how to handle a horror flick's theatrical release, but they sure do know how to stuff a DVD! Black Sheep is presented in an eye-catching anamorphic widescreen (1.78:1) format -- and I bet you'll agree that it really is a pretty movie to look at. When it's not amazingly gory, I mean. Audio arrives in a fine Dolby Digital 5.1 mix, with optional subtitles in English and French. (If you find the Kiwi accents to tough to decipher, use the subtitles!)

Extras-wise, Black Sheep is a fine addition to the Weinsteins' "Dimension Extreme" label. (Hey, credit where it's due.) Jonathan King and actor Nathan Meister contribute a rather bubbly and amusing commentary track, and it's pretty clear that King is happy with how his crazy little baby turned out. Informative and chatty, but (thankfully) free of B.S. and pretense, this is a great track for the fans. The duo returns to offer optional commentary on five deleted scenes, which is pretty considerate if you ask me.

Also included is a surprisingly solid half-hour mini-doco called (yep) "The Making of Black Sheep," as well as two minutes of bloopers and a very brief "bonus" scene that'll probably make you chuckle.

How much you dig the flick will probably depend on your affection for all those "animals gone crazy!" movies. Since I was pretty much raised on movies like Kingdom of the Spiders and Day of the Animals, I had a wildly good time with Black Sheep. Gorehounds should consider it a MUST-RENT, although you'll probably end up buying it when it goes on sale in a few months.