Nerds That Geek Movie Review: ‘Slash/Back’

Written by John Edward Betancourt

Caution: This article contains minor spoilers for the motion picture, ‘Slash/Back’.
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For the most part, children and teens are often cast in negative and troublesome roles in horror and oddly, it makes sense as to why. After all, youth is something that we equate with innocence. So, to see them say… become the victim of an evil spirit in a story, unsettles us and unnerves us since children aren’t supposed to be harmed in that manner. Not to mention, seeing them as the heavy or an evil force personified is equally as disturbing since that too speaks to a loss of innocence and a failure of the system through and through, since it is the job of the adults to protect children at all costs from harm and ensure they are never corrupted since they are the future of our society. 
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In fact, going this route in horror is so commonplace that there are but a handful of films where the child or the teen is the hero and that too, has logic behind it. Because few can envision kids fighting back in the same manner and with the same bravery as Peter and Roger did in Dawn of the Dead. And few would find it believable to see them lurk into a vampire’s layer and dispatch a super strong bloodsucker that is ten times their size. So that too, keeps them stuck in those negative roles and leaves us wondering… if it is possible to actually make youth the hero of a horror story and the fact of the matter is… it is very possible. Provided of course quality writing and care regarding the story comes into play, as evidenced by a brand-new horror feature on Shudder, Slash/Back.

For in this particular film, we are transported near the edge of the Arctic Circle, wherein we meet a group of teenagers who are just… getting by in their isolated hometown and wondering what kind of future of awaits them. For this community is tight knit and few ever leave it, and now is the time to think about their role in their home, with their families at their side. But one wild day when they’re out and about… they encounter something quite strange, a polar bear that doesn’t act as it is supposed to. Which leads to a curious investigation from one member of the group to better understand what’s happening and what she uncovers is terrifying. In that, some kind of being from another world has come to Earth and is able and eager to control biological life and it will now be up to these intrepid teens to save their community and the planet from a threat that no one is prepared for in the slightest.

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Which is… the perfect plot in which to make a young person a hero. Because since there’s a subplot in this story about all the adults attending a grand Solstice Dance, they’re all away from their kids and unaware of the horrible threat coming toward their town and that… allows for our heroes to step up and save the day and that leads… to an engaging and fun story. One that sees a bunch of teenagers come of age and become the heroes this town absolutely needs right now and that’s all that has to happen to make teens and younger people the hero of the story. Place them in the right setting, give them plausible skills, since everyone here has hunting and fishing training since they live in a sustainable waterside community, and turn them loose.
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But while it is amazing to see young people play the hero for a change and save the adults, make no mistake about it… there are a ton of horror elements to be found in this story and horror homages. Because in order for this creature to infect others and control them… it needs physical contact and the element of surprise and well, that brings forth visuals that are absolutely reminiscent of John Carpenter’s The Thing, and that’s a wonderful thing. Since it pays tribute to a full-on classic, while making those visuals the story’s own and of course, this alien being plays by its own rules and devices, giving rise to fresh scares and creepy moments that help to make this adventure its own special horror flick, one whose unique nature extends beyond the already original concepts we’ve discussed.

Because we’d be foolish to not mention the wondrous representation and diversity present in this film. Because it focuses on the Intuit people and makes use of Intuit actors for the principle leads and that’s just amazing. Since it puts a culture and a people that few of us understand on display and offers a unique setting as well and all of these elements make this a refreshing and delightful horror feature. One that just puts a smile on your face with its wickedly twisted visuals and monsters, and wonderful use of humor when necessary and it features a genuinely refreshing story as well. Since these are heroes and places, we don’t see on screen. But most important of all, it takes the time to show us, that kids can be more than suffering victims or monsters in horror films, they too can save the day and be as memorable and badass as Ellen Ripley.  

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