If the title Piranha 3D makes you think of descriptives like stupid or awful, and it just doesn’t interest you at all, then this isn’t the film for you. But if you’re one of the sane people out there and can appreciate a horror comedy done well, then you’ll enjoy Alexandre Aja‘s latest as the unapologetic, blood drenched, and nudity filled film that it is. It knows exactly what it is, and it embraces the ridiculousness.
Aja is a man of good taste when it comes to the gratuitous side of things. He knows how to make a well crafted B-movie; aside from Mirrors. While this is a ridiculous spectacle Aja doesn’t go all towards camp. Nearly everything – including most of the performances – are played with a straight face. Nobody acts unbelievably goofy. Even Jerry O’Connell manages to create a real character. All of these characters feel real, which makes the tonal outlandishness of it all even more believable. It would be asinine to say this takes itself seriously. It doesn’t. This is one hundred percent self-aware of what it is and what it’s trying to be.
There’s no real need to describe the plot in an in-depth fashion. One can practically figure it out from the poster: it’s piranhas attacking during beach season. The film mostly focuses on the least interesting of the group being attacked: Jake Forester (Steven R. McQueen). Jake is a mostly whiny character and one you don’t particularly care for, or like. It’s not Forester’s fault, but when you’re surrounded by Elisabeth Shue‘s macho town sheriff, Adam Scott‘s surprisingly heroic outsider, and of course Jerry O’Connell’s great Girls Gone Wild-esque show host, you’re just not going to come out being the standout. Even some of the smaller characters, like Eli Roth‘s wet t-shirt contest meat-head, are a lot more fun to watch. And let’s not forget two fantastic appearances by Christopher Lloyd and Richard Dreyfuss, the former being a perfect deliverer of hammy exposition on paper and the ladder being a simple fantastic nod Jaws; obviously being the main inspiration for the film.
Fun is what Aja gets. His previous films we’re more horrific than fun and here he’s changing things up. Aja keeps the story moving briskly with practically no dull spots to speak of. Early on he gives you exactly what you want — mayhem. While this does slightly affect the narrative quite a bit, feeling slightly choppy, it’s tough to say it’s not fast paced. The only arena where Aja really drops the ball is when it comes to the 3D itself. The dimness doesn’t take away from the poppy look of the film, but the 3D doesn’t add as much to the experience as it should. It’s not the all-out gimmicky effect you expect and want. Surprisingly, this would probably work better in 2D.
Even when Piranha 3D looks cheap you still cant help but to find it charming. A few sequences don’t look as sharp as others, and yet those moments still manage to entertain. This is Alexandre Aja’s blood spattered extravaganza.