Replicator: A gnarly bit of body horror (spoiler-free review)

Despite some of its limitations, Replicator contains both an interesting concept and a few truly gross-out body horror moments. The film features slimy tentacle monsters led by a creature that infects and overtakes a small town. For anyone who enjoys Lovecraftian horror or even a good creature feature, this high-tension film is worth a watch.

Directed by Mark Andrew Hamer, with a script by Hamer and Russ Lindway, the film stars Brey Noelle as Darby Vigliani. She's a public defender in a town where everyone knows each other. Noelle stars alongside KateLynn E. Newberry, who plays a bartender and Darby's best friend, Neila. The two have good chemistry together, and by the halfway point, it's evident that their characters have quite a layered history.

Without spoiling anything, I will say that their history involves Darby's sleazeball father, Ron, played by Jim Azelvandre. I have to give Azelvandre props for playing such an icky character and doing it so well. Ron's truly a creep.

Besides the complicated friendship between Darby and Neila, there's also the fact that Darby sleeps with Sheriff Ty Williams (Brian Spangler), which raises a host of ethical issues in and outside of the courtroom since some of Darby's cases involve the sheriff. However, that's the least of her problems. Darby soon realizes a monstrous creature has begun overtaking the town, including those closest to her.

Oddly, the creature corrects the worst behaviors of those it infects. Again, this is a pretty cool concept. Yes, the Lovecraftian beast remains a major threat, but it also lessens the worst behaviors of its hosts. Is that necessarily a bad thing?

While the acting in Replicator leaves a bit to be desired and sometimes comes across like a SYFY channel B movie, the monster truly steals the show. The practical effects in this film look really good, especially considering this is an indie horror film. In the opening shot, a tentacle slithers around one of its hosts. That sequence alone will likely make viewers squirm.

The film goes all out bonkers in the last 20 minutes, with all kinds of monster goodness. There are even a few strange sex scenes involving the creature. While they don't quite rival a certain infamous scene in Possession, they're still unforgettable. This film truly leans into its wilder and weirder aspects in the final act. It's all the better for it.

Replicator's strengths lie in its special effects and concept. We've seen plenty of indie alien movies before and creatures that resemble something out of a Lovecraft story, but this film presents some intriguing ethical quandaries. Is the monster necessarily evil if it creates a more perfect host, even if it kidnaps them? Meanwhile, Replicator features some truly startling moments before the credits roll, and some of the effects really look out of this world. Overall, I enjoyed this film more than I thought I would.

Replicator will have a limited theatrical release and arrive on VOD on December 10.