REVIEW:
When there are no more creatures to make creature features about, the Sci-Fi channel will start to make up their own creatures - that day has come. Living Hell is about a giant... errrmmm... thing that grows at an extreme speed and kills everything in its path. What is this thing then? Well, it looks like slimy tree roots basically, I'm not really sure what it is, but it sure does look like roots. Want to know the strangest part about it? It's actually not that bad. Living Hell isn't exactly what I would call a horror flick. It's more of a sci-fi thriller of some sort, but not really that either. Whatever it is, it's certainly refreshing to see something fairly new and original on the Sci-Fi channel for a change.

Erica Leerhsen has understood that horror is definitely her genre and stars in this movie, originally called "Organizm" (which is a much more suitable title if you ask me). She gives us a terrific performance (as always) and I love that she takes on every character as if the movie was about to go theatrical. This really makes all the difference, while other actors basically sleep through movies that they know are headed for DTV just because they don't think that it'll be a big merit on their resume. Together with Johnathon Schaech (who's also a terrific actor - how the hell did they get this cast?) she sets out to kill a giant organizm that's taking over the world at a rapid pace.

The story isn't very complicated and the effects won't impress anyone but for some reason the movie comes out as a rather entertaining film. I'm not sure if it's due to the good pacing the movie has, if it was the relatable characters or if it simply was the fact that my expectations are so low when it comes to Sci-Fi channel originals these days that I'll be impressed by anything that's even remotely watchable. Either way, Living Hell is a nicely shot and competently made sci-fi thriller with an intriguing and somewhat original concept and I thought it was surprisingly decent. Certainly it won't win any awards and you'll probably forget all about it after having finished it but if you've got the Sci-Fi channel, I think you should check this out the next time it comes on. Heck, I'd actually even consider recommending you to rent it when it's released on DVD (and that's a first for a Sci-Fi channel original). Pretty damn entertaining and for all the right reasons. No masterpiece but as good as it could have been. Job well done.

GORE:
Nothing.

SOUNDTRACK:
Nothing special.

BOTTOM LINE:
Living Hell may not be anything you'll watch over and over again but it's pretty damn entertaining while it lasts and any horror flick starring Erica Leerhsen in it is a definite rent if you ask me (well.. except for perhaps Blair Witch 2 - why make a sequel to such a ridonculously crappy movie anyway?). Definitely worth checking out, just don't expect too much.