What an odd little film. Not exactly good, but elevated by Michael Moriarty in the lead as David "Mo" Rutherford.
There's a wry sense of humor on display here that makes up for the lack of budget and lack of, well, tension. Where does the stuff come from, and what is its ultimate goal? I suppose bubbling up from the Earth and eating people (as they eat it!) is a good start, by I was hoping for more of a conspiracy along the lines of Soylent Green or Invasion of the Body Snatchers.
I got inklings of an attempt at satirizing consumerism and the food industry in general, but that all falls apart about halfway through the movie (with a brief reklinding in the last ten minutes or so). The first half has solid world-building with the commercials and the glimpses into how The Stuff is changing the diets of the American people, but I question the necessity of the boy to the plot. It screamed '80s "Screaming Kid" syndrome, and although he's relative unobtrusive he brings little to the plot.
There's an attempt at a thesis about personal responsibility with the Nicole character, but I felt that should have been more directed at the corporate types. They get their comeuppance at the end, but that vengeance feels hollow as they seemed caught up in the tidal wave that The Stuff had become rather than trying to profit from it.
Still, cool creature FX and Garrett Morris as "Chocolate Chip" Charlie Hobbs and Paul Sorvino as the Colonel are worth it for a viewing.
