Old MacDonald had a farm, E-I-E-I-AAAAAGH!!

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I dreamed last night of a movie about killer horses. Percherons, they seemed to be, like the one in my icon, only shaggier and with creepy silvered eyes. The movie was black and white, and it was actually pretty scary until it was revealed that the horses could talk; things kind of fell apart after that. Still, it was good up to that point

Comments

[sapphorlando]

Isolation seems like that rare horror film that is very well done, but rationally absurd. Okay, so it seems that it's about mutated cows who then go about committing acts of harm -- presumably, for the purpose of eating. Few problems with this. While the basic, general premise is not impossible -- reckless scientific meddling causes horrible mutations -- the notion of a highly evolved herbivore suddenly mutating into a functioning carnivore is beyond any scientific credence. The creature would need to have an entirely different digestive system, different endocrine system, and different metabolism; and to be able to hunt food, it would also need a different neurological system. While not absolutely impossible, it's about as unlikely as unlikely gets. The chances of all those many different and necessary mutations all occurring together and integrating successfully in the same animal at the same time .. well, just think about it. This is not even pseudoscience; this strays well into Acts of God territory, and for that, would be a much

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Having learned long ago that you can almost never have it all in a movie, my suspension of disbelief works in funny ways. If a movie has enough good points, there's a better chance I'll forgive the bad, though I'll still feel a twinge. 28 Days Later had some kickass bits, but it fell apart in the third act, and I did end up grousing about infection control and that a virus that renders its host incapable of remembering to eat and drink is not one for the Virus Hall o' Fame. Isolation first grabbed my attention months ago, and I've kept an eye on it ever since because it sounds like the director has managed to ratchet up the atmosphere and tension. If he can keep me biting my nails with suspense, I might be able to let the sloppy genetics slide. If he can't, well, I can have fun picking the movie apart. The gore factor gives me pause, as splatter does not equal scary, but if there's some good, chilly dread to be found here, I'm interested.

[sapphorlando]

More research, and it gets worse: Apparently, nearly all of the animals we call 'herbivores' are, like all animals, essentially opportunistic in their feeding habits, and will take any easy meal that comes to them. Contrary to popular assumption, many herbivores, while not well suited to a diet of meat, can still digest it, although I've found no sources indicating that they could live on meat for any extended period

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Man, I love it when you get into heavy research mode.

it can't be!

[twif]

nature is beautiful and filled only with happy, fluffy bunnies! there is no death!

i'm gonna cry now. stop destroying carefully crafted myths (born of ignorance) with cold, hard, facts. humans are the only bad things that kill and are mean and stuff.