In a dystopian South Africa, the poor and homeless are pitted against the rich, with the rich trying to rid the world of the former by the most vile means necessary. Rebooted from the 80s classic, Street Trash is a splatterfest featuring age-old conflict but made for the modern world.
A group of homeless misfits must fight for survival when they discover a plot to exterminate every homeless person in the city.
Following Ronald (Sean Cameron Michael) and partner in crime, Chef (Joe Vaz), the duo save a newly-homeless Alex (Donna Cormack-Thomson) from the “Rat King’s” cronies while stealing a much-needed battery. Meanwhile, the local mayor is testing a deadly substance on the down-and-out that absolutely obliterates their insides in a sloppy, gory mess. The Street Trash trio cook up schemes to get by, all while thwarting the mayor’s plans of ultimate mass murder.
While seemingly not that different from the likes of Mad Max, Purgatory Jack, or District 9 (in terms of dystopian films), Street Trash sets itself apart by incorporating comedy and some of the slimiest, grossest effects I’ve ever seen. We’ve got short musical numbers, dick jokes (and plenty of on-screen penises as well), and vomit-inducing death scenes that make you feel icky. Plus, the filmmakers decided to wrap everything in brilliant color not only to give life to the movie, but add a sense of neon horror to the story. It’s as if Street Trash was a piece of graffiti itself.
Ronald is the sympathetic hero, Chef is the Jew-coded comic relief (and my personal favorite), and Alex is the heart and determination. These three and their riff-raff friends are easy to root for in this world of suffering and splatter. Street Trash is a fantastic technicolor reboot of a classic that will leave you simultaneously laughing, puking, and ready to riot.
Street Trashstreams exclusively on Screambox tomorrow, 27 December!
