As the result of a twisted boyhood prank, Henry has an irrational fear of sheep; not very practical when you live on a sheep farm in New Zealand. Years later, he returns to the land he jointly owns with the intention of selling his half to his brother Angus. However, he soon discovers that Angus has been up to some more than questionable experimentation involving genetically altered sheep. When a couple of environmental activists break into the lab and escape with a lamb, it bites one of them and pretty soon not only is the victim undergoing some seriously weird bodily changes, but the majority of the sheep turn into viscous zombies. Of course, this is Henry's worst nightmare and, with the help of the other activist, he is obliged to stop the outbreak spreading from the farm and wrestle control of the farm from his scheming brother. But Angus, having undergone a change into a weresheep, is proving to be a formidable opponent...

This is the type of film that you enjoy rather more in retrospect than you do at the time. That's not to say that it's unworthy of consideration - far from it. It's simply that the set-pieces and one-liners will stick in your head and perhaps become a valid talking point, so consequentially the popularity or otherwise of Black Sheep is likely to spread through word of mouth. For example, mint sauce acts like holy water on vampires and burns, a victim throws his bitten-off leg at an attacking sheep, sheepskin car seat covers are utilised as a disguise (with a ram trying to mount the person), and there's a novel solution to events near the conclusion.

This very much has the feeling of a little film with a big heart. The acting is mediocre at best, with nobody particularly proficient in their role (if somebody has a lifelong fear of sheep they would be a jibbering wreck at the prospect of woolly zombies). The strength of Black Sheep lies in the comic situations. The special effects are well-handled (particularly the human-to-sheep-and-back-again transformation) so that helps, but clever close-up and sometimes frantic camera work helps to cover certain shortcomings. It would have been amusing if the writer had included in his script the repercussions of zombie lamb meat getting in to the food chain.

None of this really matters though, as the film serves its purpose and works well. I've never forgotten a flock of sheep chasing me across a field when I was little so, although I was in no way traumatised by the experience (twitch), the idea of normally docile sheep 'turning' like the proverbial worm doesn't seem like a huge leap of fiction. But zombies... well, that's another matter. There are some laugh-out-loud moments (or at least those that inspire a sheepish grin) that will make you remember this film, even if you have no inclination to watch it again.

Extras include a Director's Commentary (Jonathan King is also the writer, which often makes for a more enthusiastic dialogue), a Making of Documentary, Deleted Scenes and a frankly unfunny and therefore superfluous Blooper Reel.

7

Ty Power