One of the most outrageous, hilarious, and insane features at this year’s Fantastic Fest was Ick. This is the latest film by director Joseph Kahn (Detention, Bodied), who also wrote the film with Dan Koontz and Samuel Laskey. In the film, audiences meet Hank, a former high school football star who now works as a science teacher at that same high school. When an alien growth across the planet known as “the ick” begins to attack citizens, it’s up to Hank and a handful of teens to save the town.

This sci-fi horror comedy combines elements of films like The Blob, Slither, and The Faculty, but then really ramps up with even bigger satire and laughs. Kahn attended the screening of Ick to intro the film and participate in a Q&A afterwards. He described the film as his version of a gateway horror film, which is why it’s his first PG-13 horror film. Elaborating on that, he described the film as being meant for a millennial parent to watch with their Gen-Z kid. While the film definitely leans much more into the millennial perspective, it does achieve a nice balance that makes it a great introduction to horror for younger viewers.

The film begins by allowing the audience to connect to Hank. He was the high school football star, dated the head cheerleader, and generally had a perfect life. While playing his last game, the ick, which grows everywhere and people generally ignore as benign, purposely tripped Hank causing him a horrific injury that ended his football career. From there, Hank lost everything and became an alcoholic before eventually turning his life back around, becoming a science teacher at his old high school and sobering up. With his life finally back on track, naturally the ick would decide it was time to come out of dormancy and either kill or infect every human on the planet. Hank has to save his town from the ick, while also trying to save his favorite student, who he just found out might also be his daughter. The premise is as outrageous as it sounds, leading to plenty of hilarity and a hell of a lot more graphic violence than you might expect from a PG-13 film. It’s the kind of satirical comedy that won’t work for all audiences, but those it does work for will be falling out of their seats with laughter.

As with any comedy, the cast is a vital element. Without a strong cast, Ick wouldn’t be as funny as it is. Brandon Routh (Superman Returns, Scott Pilgrim vs. The World) stars as Hank. Because Hank is the stereotypical jock who peaked in high school, Routh really leans into the cheese for his performance. It’s often over-the-top, but Routh still grounds his performance by also making Hank a nice guy, even in his glory days, and giving the character emotional depth as he grapples with this news that he might have a teenage daughter. Malina Pauli Weissman (A Series of Unfortunate Events, Supergirl) plays Grace, high school senior and maybe daughter of Hank. Grace is a great representation of Gen-Z, especially when it comes to her interest in environmental and political activism. Weissman’s performance is certainly the most realistic of the film, seeming less like a caricature and more like an actual teen compared to the rest of her classmates. Routh and Weissman also have great father-daughter chemistry on screen, whether they are related or not. Other standout performance come from Mena Suvari (American Pie), and Peter Wong.

Kahn uses the sights and sounds of Ick to bring this wild film to life. With his many years of experience as a music video director, Kahn managed to cram in an abundance of needle drops throughout the film. Most of these occur in the first half of the film, but audiences will be stunned by just how many millennial pop punk songs are included. The special effects are definitely a memorable aspect of Ick. The ick, which starts out as a sort of parasitic alien root that grows on everything before it becomes a mess of deadly sentient tentacles, was brought to life with CGI. While there are moments audiences will likely wish more practical effects had been utilized, the practicality of using CGI is clear and it does lend to the early 2000’s millennial look of the film. Ick also includes Kahn’s signature quick cuts, which is an editing technique not everyone will love, but it’s fitting with the chaotic tone of the film.

Ick is the outrageous, millennial, pop punk, sci-fi monster movie that you never knew you needed. It delivers plenty of laughs and needle drops as it bridges the horror gap between millennials and Gen-Z. Kahn has a style all his own that won’t be for everyone, even for some of his fans who are used to his rated-R horror films, but one can’t deny the sheer entertainment value of Ick. Routh’s performance is a large part of why this film works so well, and the pop-punk soundtrack helps to tie it all together. While it would have been nice to see more practical effects utilized in the film, it still has a look and style audiences will enjoy. If it’s playing at a festival or theater near you, be sure to check out Ick on the biggest screen possible.

OVERALL RATING: 7/10