For those of you who aren't paying attention, this is Chuck Russell's glopolaized remake of the 1958 Steve McQueen camp classic. Russell, responsible for the well-done third installment of the ELM STREET series, continues his winning ways with this excellent, inventive, gory, fun horror flick that holds fast to one of Joe Bob Briggs's all-important requirements: "Anybody can die at any time!!!"

Kevin Dillon stars as the town tough-guy, a leather-wearin', beer-drinkin', motorcycle-ridin', earring-sportin' rebel who inadvertently stumbles upon a drunk who's been "blobbed." This brings him into direct contact with Shawnee Smith (the preggo chick from SUMMER SCHOOL) and Donovan Leitch (son of 60s singer Donovan and brother of thespian Ione Skye). In an excellent hospital scene Leitch, the nominal hero, gets blobbed and Dillon inexplicably gets blamed for the murder The sheriff here is played by the same guy who played the sheriff in THE HITCHER (can you say "typecast"?) and his deputy is the slimy weasel guy that gets toxic-wasted in ROBOCOP.

Soon, the blob is running, er oozing, rampant all over town, eating everything in its path including Candy Clark and our beloved sheriff in a tremendously effective scene. Dillon and Smith are forced to team up when government "medical experts" quarantine the town in an interesting and effective twist reminiscent of Romero's THE CRAZIES. Here, the film retains its homage to the original, but also verges into new territory to satisfy us conspiracy-minded viewers.

Eventually Smith and Dillon save the day, but not before we get some excellent deaths, great tough guy standoffs, a killer revision on the movie theatre scene, some brilliant acting from ER fav Art LeFleur (TRANCERS, ZONE TROOPERS) as Smith's dad, an appearance by the deceased Jack Nance and fantastic behind-the-scenes work from Dillon's hairdresser who keeps the stars flowing locks from looking mussed as he saves the world.

The $20 million budget is all visible on screen, although some of the matte work is pretty cheesy. However, the sum of the parts more than make up for a few minor gaffes, and the twist ending is effective instead of groanable. Way to go!