It’s 1992 and America is now a post-apocalyptic and dystopian society (!) which is run by a criminal organisation who have set loose a deadly parasite on the population. Brave survivors try and eradicate it.

Parasite feels like an overlong episode of a TV series that wasn’t commissioned for a second season. It’s like something that would have been shown on late-night/early-morning television here in the UK, the kind of programme I would have set my video timer to record and watch the next morning. The kind of programme I would have been disappointed by too.

It really is a film of two halves. Whenever the parasite is featured, it’s great. Stan Winston designed the special effects in this Charles Band movie and they’re really over the top and visceral.

But, whenever said parasite isn’t onscreen, time drags. I didn’t care about any character in the film which is a major problem.

The fact that this was made in 3D but would then be watched in 2D on video is also a drawback.

Also, did they have to make this post-apocalyptic world so dull?! And I’m not even a fan of the 90’s.

This is also an early Demi Moore entry into her filmography. She even stated in a chat show appearance years later that Parasite was the worst film she’s ever been involved in. It might be bad but it’s nowhere near as dire as GI Jane.

2 out of 5 stars