I'm a huge fan of British-Canadian character actor Julian Richings, hence the reason I ever bought 'Septic Man' in the first place, and I've seen a lot of weird films in my time but I feel like this one was just pushing the offensive language, crass quotes and disgusting imagery to the extreme for lazy shock value, without really developing the story past gore and, yup, you guessed right by the title, raw sewage. I've never heard the word "sh!t" so much in a film since I first saw a Troma movie. And some of it just made no sense. We have a sewage treatment plant worker for example, the main character (Jack), approached by a total stranger by the name of Phil Prosser. This stranger who has never even met him before then proceeds to randomly insult him with odd comments, the weirdest being "I'll bet your wife smells sh!t on you every time she f*cks you". What the hell? Is that supposed to be humorous or something? I mean, I wouldn't mind the crude humour so much if there was actually a half-decent story behind it, but there's really not, which is too bad because there are a lot of talented actors and actresses who appear in this film (most of them either look disgusted to even be present, they look bored or they look like they're just doing it for some extra cash). I don't know, I just didn't see the point. Some people have compared it to 'The Toxic Avenger' (1984), but at least ol' Toxie had a good plot standing behind him when he was mutating! 'Septic Man' really doesn't. It's just a lot of toilet jokes coupled with a guy covered in cr@p. Where's the punchline? Bottom line: if you like any of the featured actors/actresses, it's worth checking out perhaps, but otherwise I wouldn't even bother with it. I think even the biggest fans of vulgar jokes and low-budget horror will be turned off not by its gross-out factor, but by its sheer dullness.

This film is a missed opportunity. The writer should have sped up Jack's transformation into the Septic Man, then let him loose on the township. However what you have is a meandering story of Jack who gets trapped in a water treatment plant where two maniacal killers are using one of the sluices as a dumping ground for body parts, which is causing mass contamination of a township's water supply, and his transformation... along with an awful amount of vomit.I watched this film as I had previously viewed Pontypool, which was written by the same writer. That was an original horror movie based on a noise created virus affecting people. On that, I took a chance on this.... and wish I hadn't. The two movies are similar in a couple of ways, as that they basically revolve around one man. In Pontypool, it's the DJ in his booth, Stephen McHattie (who gives a cameo in Septic Man as the Mayor), who gives a believable performance and is helped with tight direction.In Septic man, Jack, portrayed badly and unbelievably by Jason David Brown, is hindered with bad direction and strange and implausible characters, especially the killer brothers. Even Molly Dunsworth gives a lacklustre interpretation of Jacks dowdy, browbeaten, pregnant wife; I've seen her in other roles, such as Haven, and she can do so much better. And genre regular, Julian Richings, feels like he's turned up on site and read his lines. It's nice to hear his original English accent.This is a dull and boring film, for the most time, though the special effects when Septic Man starts to become are pretty nice and gruesome - respect to The Brothers Gore. The scene where Jack peels back the skin on his arm is cringe-making.There is so much of Troma's Toxic Avenger in this movie. By the end of the movie, Septic Man looks like a more up-to-date, bigger budget, Toxi. Regrettably, it's not as good.

Before I begin, I am not connected to this movie in any way (check my other 100 or so reviews and you'll see) but I need to make that clear before I give it the review Im about to (in case Im accused of that).Firstly, this film has got nothing to do with The Toxic Avenger which another reviewer here seems to think it should have been (?), Im really not sure why that is. Maybe he just reads a movie title and decides what its going to be about by that, but I really don't think thats a smart way to approach cinema and I (for one) am so glad it wasn't some terrible flick by the cheesemongers at Troma as its miles above their output in terms of quality.The film opens with an outbreak of a water-born disease where a sewage system worker (hes known as the septic man as its a logo on his van) is approached to find the source and deal with it given an offer of a large sum of money. He enters the underground tunnels soon after, and quickly finds himself locked into a tank underground, where his problems really begin.While the singular elements of Septic Man may not be original on their own, what is original and fresh is how they're strung together. Be advised that this is NOT a horror comedy, in fact its quite dark, twisted, and disturbing at times, with a grim harsh plot running most of the way through. Its written by Tony Burgess, who also wrote the fantastic Pontypool (2008) and its likely if you found that slow going then this movie might not suit you either. Luckily many horror fans have progressed beyond watching a man in a mask chase teens through a forest however so we welcome anything with a modicum of the different. And I loved this film, in fact its quickly moved into my top ten horror films of the year along with the likes of Under The Skin, Found, The Borderlands, Dead Snow 2 etc.I suggest you go into Septic man not thinking you know what its about, and if you have the ability to watch a film while enjoying a build up in tension and story without it all being laid on a plate for you I think you'll love it. I have to say I was very pleasantly surprised. There have been so many mediocre horror films this year (Lord of Tears, Cross Bearer, The Cemetery etc) that its great when something comes along you thought might just be another. Septic Man is indeed a great new horror film that's an asset to the genre and one long standing horror fans (30yrs for me) will enjoy.

Well, one thing can be said: it starts with an explosive bang! The first couple of minutes are disturbingly graphic (but fun if you like graphic like I do) but then....nothing. An hour in, and the guy hasn't left the septic tank he's found himself trapped in. Padding the running time are characters with unknown and confusing purposes, and not much else. Add to this a muddled ending, and you get one big disappointment. Honestly I'm not sure what the filmmakers were trying to do here. I was expecting a yuck fest along the lines of the Toxic Avenger, and all I got was a boring story with no nothing going on. (Although it can be said they do try a little in the last twenty minutes when it comes to the gore, but by then it has already worn out its welcome) Seriously, avoid like the plague.And god, don't get me started on the song.