Bad Taste (1989) Spoiler-Free Summary – What It's About

In a remote corner of New Zealand, two trigger‑happy siblings—brothers by blood and hitmen by trade—return home to find their father dead under mysterious circumstances. The quiet, wind‑blown towns they once knew are suddenly tinged with a strange, unfamiliar energy, hinting that something far beyond ordinary crime has taken root in their homeland. Their long‑standing partnership, forged in shadowy assignments and punctuated by dark humor, is instantly tested as they grapple with grief, duty, and the stark reality that the world they thought they understood has shifted dramatically.

Beyond the familiar rolling hills, an alien presence has slipped through the cracks of everyday life, planning a grotesque culinary venture that could turn humanity into the main course of an intergalactic feast. The aliens are not the sleek, benevolent visitors of classic sci‑fi; they are absurdly invasive, blending into the countryside while maintaining a hideously playful menace. This premise sets the stage for a clash that is as much about the ridiculousness of the threat as it is about its terrifying implications.

The film’s tone is a wildly exaggerated mix of slapstick gore and razor‑sharp satire. Graphic violence erupts with a cartoonish flamboyance, splattering bodily fluids across the screen in a way that feels both shocking and oddly comedic. The brothers’ chemistry—equal parts camaraderie, rivalry, and unspoken affection—anchors the chaos, providing a grounded, if volatile, lens through which the audience can experience the pandemonium. Their penchant for over‑the‑top action blends seamlessly with the film’s absurdist humor, creating a style that feels simultaneously relentless and delightfully off‑kilter.

As the story unfolds, the stakes are simple yet colossal: stop an otherworldly culinary catastrophe before the planet becomes a menu item. The blend of rural New Zealand scenery, grotesque extraterrestrial cuisine, and a duo of irreverent hitmen promises a wildly entertaining ride that revels in its own madness while keeping viewers on the edge of their seats, wondering just how far the mayhem will go.