Septic Man

Septic Man is a Canadian horror feature from 2013, directed by Jesse Thomas Cook and starring Jason David Brown, Molly Dunsworth, and Julian Richings. The film is much more than a stereotypical horror film, involving themes of transformation, isolation, and the nitty-gritty aspects of society's underbelly that people would prefer remain out of sight.

Jason David Brown plays the titular Septic Man, real name Jack. Jack is a lovable, everyday guy who finds himself tasked with a job unlike any other he had ever been asked to do before. He's a sewer worker by the trade, an ideal career for someone unbothered by the filth and averse to the usually chosen path. He's an blue-collar worker eking out an existence in a small-town, defined by the down to earth charm and resilience.

Jack is called on by the local government to fix a water contamination issue that has resulted in a state of emergency, causing the town to be evacuated. With his wife Shelley, played by Molly Dunsworth, pregnant, the prospect of a massive payout if he successfully tackles this problem is too tempting to turn down. After all, he just wants the best for his family and community, showing how Jack is genuinely and simply well-intentioned.

Once Jack descends deep into the belly of the sewer, he finds himself trapped and subjected to an unimaginable series of hardships. What he uncovers is an underworld filled with unspeakable horrors. The film quickly takes on undertones of body horror as Jack undergoes a nauseating transformation, morphing into something inhuman and monstrous. Locked in this subterranean horror zone, Jack must contend with the monstrous denizens of his new-found hell while wrestling with his slow transformation into something grotesque.

While the primary focus of the film is Brown's Jack, the supporting cast too deserves a mention. Molly Dunsworth, as Jack’s pregnant wife Shelley, gives a heart-breaking performance. Shelley adds an emotional anchor to the often hard-to-watch dispossession of Jack. Julian Richings adds to the horror as he portray a truly terrifying character that is unpredictable and conflates the feeling of menace that is a constant in Jack’s sewer world.

Despite the seemingly simplistic premise, Septic Man is a philosophical contemplation on the human condition, exploring themes of isolation, alienation, and identity. It carefully straddles the line between horror and drama, blending the gross-out factor with an underlining existential dread. This is not a horror movie for the faint of heart, as it features graphic and often unsettling depictions of gore and violence, but it strikingly displayed in a way that serves the story.

The set design and cinematography of Septic Man deserve much credit for creating a vivid yet confined world. The sewer scenes are so claustrophobic and grimy that you can almost smell the disgusting atmosphere that Jack is submerged in. Filthy, grimy areas filled with murky waters and dim lighting enhance that sense of dread and claustrophobia significantly.

Director Jesse Thomas Cook delivers an adept horror slowly unveiling catastrophic elements within the narrative – intense body horror, human depravation, confinement and a palpable disgust, permeating through the film's visuals and tone - a true feast for fans of the genre. The screenplay by Tony Burgess stands out for its capacity to drive the narrative forward inside a confined environment.

However, the film is not without its comedic elements. Subtle humor is laced throughout the grim proceedings, as though reminding the audience that, somehow, everything before them originated from the familiarly absurd, making the horrific transformations even more jarring--a testament to the clever writing and Cook's clever direction.

In conclusion, Septic Man is a visceral, hard-to-watch horror film that explores themes of isolation, identity, and the lengths a man will go for his family and community. Its haunting imagery will linger long after the credits roll, a testament to its impactful narrative and memorable characters. For those who enjoy horror films which are far from conventional, Septic Man is a grotesque, yet thought-provoking watch.