PIRANHA 3D: Unapologetically Joyful Gory Camp

There is no other way: either you buy Piranha 3D with all the baggage that comes with it, or you leave the cinema after 20 minutes. Alexandre Aja, a French horror specialist, gives the viewer a wild ride that, on one hand, refers to the classics of the genre like Jaws and even Alien, while on the other, shamelessly shocks with its literalness. However, anyone expecting respect for the illustrious predecessors would be mistaken. Aja opted for uninhibited fun, and while the setup of the story initially suggests that we are dealing with a regular horror, by the end of the first act, it is clear that the director is mercilessly mocking the audience.

And here, credit must be given, with much respect, that he does so with great charm, showing an immense amount of irony, even erudition. The moment where he shows two porn stars, like nymphs frolicking naked in an underwater scene set to the music of the Duet des Fleurs from Lakmé by Leo Delibes, takes the breath away with its audacity, but also triggers an outburst of genuine laughter, as it makes the viewer realize how much distance the director has from the material he has created. From this point on, there are no illusions about what we are dealing with. And it is joyful camp, where showcasing alluring female bodies is as important as spurts of blood and unrestrained gore. Ideally, at the same time.

In this bloody cocktail, quite famous actors make appearances, as Elizabeth Shue, nominated for an Oscar for Leaving Las Vegas, plays the lead role, Christopher Back to the Future Lloyd, of course, plays the slightly eccentric scientist, but we also see Ving Rhames, Jerry O’Connell, Eli Roth, Adam Scott, Dina Meyer and even Richard Dreyfuss in supporting roles. Aja seems to be having fun with both the viewers and his team, and this approach causes us to forgive all the absurdities and illogicalities of the script without any pain. Because, as we probably all expected, there is not much to show in terms of the storyline.

The end of the school year, traditionally culminating in an annual mega party on the waters of the nearby lake. Wild youths, breast implants, sex, alcohol, and loud music take control of the provincial town, for which income from this week of partying is the foundation of its existence for the rest of the year. For the sheriff (Elisabeth Shue) and her assistant (Ving Rhames), it is the hottest season—the moment of dealing with rebellious, hormone-driven kids on drugs. And nearby, the first victim of the Pleistocene fish fry is a fisherman, in the accidental guise of Richard Dreyfuss.

In fact, the storyline is not much different from the classic slasher formula. There is wild youth, there is sex, a few heroes, and a killer who eliminates them one by one. In other words, Aja uses a well-known and recognizable template, sets it in the formula started by Jaws by Spielberg, and exploits it to the point of recognition, adding humor, distance, a sea (or rather a lake) of gore, and a cheeky opening for a sequel, which, of course happened. And either the viewer will embrace this convention entirely, or they will be annoyed and leave the cinema. Based on my own reaction, as well as the lively reactions of the audience at the press screening I attended, including bursts of laughter and applause, this formula can be swallowed without pain.

The greatest strength of Piranha 3D as directed by Aja is its unpretentiousness and sense of humor, which is often lacking in even the most efficiently made slashers. This distancing from the content tells the viewer that the director is not trying to make a fool of them—he knows that what is shown on screen is a ridiculous pyramid of nonsense, and he allows the audience to have fun with it without any intellectual aftertaste. And for that, he deserves praise.