The Taint (2010)

Written by Drew Bolduc
Directed by Drew Bolduc & Dan G. Nelson
Pretty much everything by Drew Bolduc & Dan G. Nelson

As mentioned in tons of reviews before, the only way to describe The Taint is Gonzo. Everything about it is to the fullest extreme, comedy lurks in every shot, and every level of ridiculousness is amped to the highest possible point.

The black and white opening shots of tits, the shot from the inside of a vagina, welcome you to the experience that is The Taint. As the main character Phil O'Ginny (Drew Bolduc) wakes from his Oedipal nightmare, he is next to a girl, and suddenly, he's being chased by a woodland maniac, holding a severed penis, a scythe, shitting his pants as he runs. If you can continue to watch this film, you know you just stumbled into a very wild movie.

Bolduc handled the awesome synth soundtrack, Nelson did the insane, kinetic cinematography, they both edited the picture and sound, and Nelson did both the practical and digital f/x for the film, making it a true independent film, because when no one will listen to your insane idea, sometimes you just have to do it yourself, and trust that people will get the joke. In the case of The Taint it works. It all works. What should be boring and unfunny is quickly paced and full of sick laughs.

The cover of the film and the scattered synopsis' may scare some people off, same with the Troma-esque look, but this is the best, most exciting Troma film that Troma didn't have the drive to make, but the spirit remains the same.

Some films simply entertain, and no matter how good they are, they simply can only entertain. Other films transcend that ability, and make you feel as though you've seen the face of something new, giving them an almost religious feel; The Taint is one of these films, in line with Jodoworski's El Topo as a balls out cinematic experience.

To comment on the plot is to ruin the joy of going into the film thinking it's only about exploding penises, so I'll leave the threadbare description that everyone else has been passing around: Once he discovers the water in his town has been tainted, Phil bumps into the guy that created the taint, and he tells Phil the ridiculous story of how it happened, which features Drew Bolduc in another role as Drew, who helped create the taint, which culminates in one of the most hilarious on-screen attacks of all time.

There's no way to properly explain the brilliance and mischief that is The Taint, it needs to be seen to be not only believed but processed, but if you're into independent film, extreme comedy (Trey Parker, anyone?) or just plain ludicrous fun, head over and check out The Taint today: http://www.taintmovie.com/store/ You won't be sad.

9.6/10 (A)