Nathan Fillion

In a time where the news warns us that global warming is quickly melting the Polar ice caps and that major cities - even countries - may be under water by 2100, do we really need to expose our children to the terrible story of a bunch of poor cuddly animals faced with "The Meltdown"? I think not.

That’s way too much reality for my taste, folks. I might as well watch CNN if I want that kind of entertainment.

What we all need to do is find sweet escape with the delightful Nathan Fillion (Joss Whedon’s "Serenity" and "Firefly") as he battles an out-of-this-world menace in "Slither." Fillion plays small-town Chief of Police Bill Pardy who must save his town - and the world - from huge alien slugs, bloodthirsty zombies and slime-ridden oozing bug overlords.

Doesn’t that sound like good fun? Yes it does!

With the combination of writer/director James Gunn (writer of 2004’s "Dawn of the Dead") and Fillion, how can we go wrong?!? We can’t. It’s just that simple.

Sure, if you’re a horror fan, the plot may sound pretty basic. Been there, done that. But I really doubt we have. Just as there were the laugh-out-loud moments in the "Dawn" remake, I suspect that there will be lots of them here. I mean, Gunn is also the guy who wrote the Troma Entertainment classic film "Tromeo and Juliet" so, you do the math.

Since "Slither" is rated R, you may need to get your kids a fake ID to get in, but you’ll be glad you did it later when you have fewer years of therapy to pay for. What’s more traumatic than the horror of a world slowly being consumed by flood? Not much. The Discovery Channel will tell you that you can’t fight rising water.

You can fight alien slugs and zombies, though. It’s comforting. It just makes for a much more certain world.

Eh. Regardless of how good this film actually is, it’s got Nathan Fillion in it. Since I can’t watch him each week on "Firefly," I’ll take whatever I can get. Who knows? If this film does well, maybe the studios will see Fillion as a solid box office draw. When combined with Whedon’s clout, maybe we can even convince the powers-that-be that a new "Firefly" or "Serenity" installment is in order! I can dream.

Now go to Fandango and buy your tickets. I’ll see you at the theater. (Oh, and don’t really bring the kids - or get them a fake ID. They’ll just kick my chair while I’m trying to watch the film anyway. Get a sitter.)