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MOVIES / ON DVD / BLACK SHEEP
Black Sheep

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Black Sheep (2007)

71%
75%
71%
N/A
N/A
N/A
71 %
Reviews Counted: 86 Fresh: 61  Rotten:25 Average Rating: 6.4/10
 
Consensus: With an outrageous premise played completely straight, Black Sheep is a violent, grotesque, and very funny movie that takes B-movie lunacy to a delirious extreme.
 

How does the Tomatometer work?

The Tomatometer measures the percentage of positive reviews from Approved Tomatometer Critics for a certain movie.[-]

Rated: 15

Runtime: 87 mins

Theatrical Release: 12-10-2007

Synopsis: This blood-soaked horror comedy is the story of Henry Oldfield (Nathan Meister), a New Zealander with an unfortunate phobia...of sheep. When Henry was a boy, his father was killed in a herding accident on the land, and Henry fled to the big city. Now, years later, he has returned to sell his half... This blood-soaked horror comedy is the story of Henry Oldfield (Nathan Meister), a New Zealander with an unfortunate phobia...of sheep. When Henry was a boy, his father was killed in a herding accident on the land, and Henry fled to the big city. Now, years later, he has returned to sell his half of the farm and--at the behest of his therapist--to face his fears. Meanwhile, Henry's sadistic older brother Angus (Peter Feeney) has taken over the family business, and become widely known for his controversial genetic experiments on the animals. When two animal activists release one of Angus's genetically-altered lambs, Henry's trip quickly turns into his worst nightmare, as the lamb's zombie-like bite turns sheep and people into vicious flesh-eaters. Henry joins forces with one of the animal activists (Danielle Mason), and together they try to escape the sheep and find an antidote for the virus. Director Jonathon King cleverly plays on the silliness of the normally docile, dimwitted lamb as terrifying monster, and his shots of the sheep swarming over the hills induce equal parts thrills and laughter. However, the storyline could perhaps have benefited from a bit less action, and a bit more plot, as the suspense and jokes begin to fizzle by the end. The excellent WETA WORKSHOP (known for its work on the LORD OF THE RINGS trilogy) delivers hilariously gory special effects. Faces are eaten off, humans throw their own limbs, and heads explode, culminating in a raucous bloodbath that will likely earn BLACK SHEEP cult status among the EVIL DEAD crowd. [More]

Genre: Horror/Suspense

Starring: Nathan Meister, Danielle Mason, Peter Feeney, Tammy Davis

Director: Jonathan King
Screenwriter: Jonathan King
Producer: Philippa Campbell

DVD Info

Release:

Sep 10, 2007

[DVD Details]

DVD Features:

  • Region 1
  • NTSC
  • Keep Case
  • Widescreen

Audio:

  • Dolby Digital 5.1 - English
  • Subtitles - English, Spanish - Optional

Additional Release Materials:

  • Audio Commentary - Jonathan King - Director; Nathan Meister - Star
  • Behind The Scenes - Making Of
  • Blooper Reel
  • Deleted Scenes With Commentary
  • Featurettes - "Early Morning"
  • Trailers

Reviews

 
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1 - 20 (sorted by date; UK critics are listed first)
Text View | 1 2 3 4 5 >> >|
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Ratings Image
N/A

It's a lively affair, extremely violent, full of black humour and what might be called shear terror.

Full Review | comment Comment
10/20/07
Philip French
Observer [UK]
Ratings Image
4/5

A raucously hysterical romp by some seriously twisted filmmakers.

Full Review | comment Comment
10/12/07
Rich Cline
Shadows on the Wall
Ratings Image
3/5

The farce maintains a rollicking pace and the performances are more accomplished and likeable than a film of this sort generally musters.

Full Review | comment Comment
10/12/07
Anthony Quinn
Independent
Ratings Image
N/A

Good, camp fun.

Full Review | comment Comment
10/12/07
Nigel Andrews
Financial Times
Ratings Image
4/5

Flock to this if ewe want a bloody laugh.

Full Review | comment Comment
10/12/07
Sun Online
Ratings Image
N/A

The jokes don't quite stay the course, but writer-director Jonathan King generates far too much goodwill for you to mind.

Full Review | comment Comment
10/12/07
Tim Robey
Daily Telegraph
Top Critic Icon Top Critic
Ratings Image
N/A

Once the novelty wears off, we’re left with a poorly-made black comedy with plenty of gore but little suspense and even fewer laughs.

Full Review | comment Comment
10/12/07
Daily Mirror [UK]
Ratings Image
2/5

Shaun of the Dead has set the bar pretty high for this sort of thing; Black Sheep just isn't nearly as funny or suspenseful.

Full Review | comment Comment
10/12/07
Andrew Pulver
Guardian [UK]
Top Critic Icon Top Critic
Ratings Image
3/5

If you're in the mood for black comedy - especially if you enjoyed Shaun Of The Dead - this is shear (pun intended) enjoyment.

Full Review | comment Comment
10/12/07
Christopher Tookey
Daily Mail [UK]
Ratings Image
2/5

There are plenty of decent laughs, but the shadow of the far superior British zombie romcom looms large.

Full Review | comment Comment
10/12/07
Wendy Ide
Times [UK]
Top Critic Icon Top Critic
Ratings Image
4/5

Enjoyable, frequently hilarious horror comedy, although it's stronger on laughs and gloopy gore effects than it is on actual scares.

Full Review | comment Comment
10/11/07
Matthew Turner
ViewLondon
Ratings Image
3/5

While it's rarely fall-down hilarious, it's witty enough to please horror fans in search of a light-hearted tribute to splatter flicks of old.

Full Review | comment Comment
10/10/07
Anna Smith
BBC
Top Critic Icon Top Critic
Ratings Image
1/5

Dopey editing, ropey pacing, hokey story structure, scrappy sound, rubbish rubbery gore and acting that would shame a toddlers’ nativity play.

Full Review | comment Comment
10/10/07
Andy Lowe
Total Film
Ratings Image
1/5

Sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn't but there's plenty of chuckles and chills along the way as Henry, Tucket and Experience face the threat of a couple of hundred sheep bright-eyed with bloodlust.

Full Review | comment Comment
10/10/07
Tim Evans
Sky Movies
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4/5

Make up your own sheep-related pun - ewe’ll love it, mutton to be ashamed of, ram-bunctious etc. If you only see one zombie sheep movie, you won’t have a lot of choice, but this certainly delivers all you could wish for.

Full Review | comment Comment
10/10/07
Kim Newman
Empire Magazine
Top Critic Icon Top Critic
Ratings Image
3/5

The only people who are likely to feel hard done by are vegetarians, farmers and those whose stomachs are weaker than their sense of humour.

Full Review | comment Comment
10/10/07
Matt Glasby
Little White Lies
Ratings Image
4/6

The performances may be uneven, but the flawed characters are believable, the sheep surprisingly scary and the animal antics often laugh-out-loud funny.

Full Review | comment Comment
10/10/07
Nigel Floyd
Time Out
Top Critic Icon Top Critic
Ratings Image
3.5/5

Like its ovine stars, Black Sheep is none too smart, but will certainly coat you in its fluffy warmth and put an affectionate smile on your face. Lacks much real bite, mind.

Full Review | comment Comment
10/04/07
Anton Bitel
Channel 4 Film
Top Critic Icon Top Critic
Ratings Image
7/10

Lush photography of the beautiful New Zealand hills combines with skin ripping mayhem and over-the-top humor to make one of the funniest of the new wave zombie satires yet.

Full Review | comment Comment
04/06/08
Ron Wilkinson
Monsters and Critics
Ratings Image
3/5

Black Sheep isn't perfect, but director Jonathan King certainly shows a lot of promise.

Full Review | comment Comment
12/10/07
Mike Bracken
Mike Bracken's Horror Films
1 - 20 (sorted by date; UK critics are listed first)
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