For some reason, fluffy little bunnies are popular horror movie monsters. From Night Of The Lepus and Cute Little Buggers to the killers in bunny suits in Easter Bunny Kill Kill and the Bunnyman films, there’s plenty of them. Add to their ranks the human/rabbit hybrid that is Rottentail.
Peter Cotten (Corin Nemec, Sand Sharks, Jurassic Attack) was a bullied nerd as a kid. Now he’s an adult and he’s still a bullied nerd. All of the other scientists ate the top-secret lab pick on him, especially Dr. Serius Stanley (Gianni Capaldi, Among The Shadows, Astro). However, once he’s bitten by a mutant rabbit all that changes.
While having dinner with old friend Anna Banana (Dominique Swain, Eminence Hill, The 6th Friend) who’s about to lose her grandfather’s church to televangelist Pastor Mulligan (William McNamara, Opera, Day Of The Mummy). Mulligan was also one of Peter’s tormentors as a kid, even killing his pet rabbit. Dinner is cut short though as Peter’s personality and body both are beginning to change.
Rottentail is based on a graphic novel and it shows. Director Brian Skiba (The 2nd, Pursuit) co-wrote the script along with David C. Hayes, one of the graphic novel’s authors. The lighting resembles a comic book or a comic inspired film such as Creepshow. The humour is also silly in the extreme with bad one-liners, horrible slapstick, a fleeing soldier running into a concrete pillar for example, and intentionally awful effects.
The attempts at satire involving crooked politicians and sleazy clergymen are equally over the top. Rottentail wants to be another Toxic Avenger but, while it can copy its style, it lacks that film’s wit and genuine humour. Rottentail feels like a subpar frequently forced attempt at creating a cult film. And like other attempts, it falls flat. Even the bloopers shown during the end credits are weak.
Rottentail will have its red carpet premiere on April 11, 2019, at Hollywood’s Raleigh Studios and go into limited release on the 12th. You can check for where it will be playing on its Facebook page.