Dutch horror earns its place in the annals of horror history with satisfyingly brutal import, Meat Kills. Neither director Martijn Smits nor screenwriter Paul de Vrijer hold back when it comes to the metaphorical symbolism of the title. In a cruel twist of irony, a radical activist group known as the Animal Army meet their ultimate match when they try to take down Heerema’s Piggery, a local pig farm that specializes in cruel tactics for its unfortunate swine population. The protestors unexpectedly find themselves the victims of the farmer and his family, courtesy of the twisted farming equipment. While it can be a little rough around the edges at times, this brand of extremist horror has frankly been fondly missed. A total bloodbath fueled by a jet black bleakness, Meat Kills hooks a killer slab of nostalgic horror right in the sweet spot.
Meat Kills wastes no time establishing its animal-rights horror hook. Mirthe (Caro Derkx), a worker caught secretly filming at the Piggery, is abruptly fired for violating the strict “no phones” policy. She volunteers to be part of the Animal Army, armed with footage that will expose the atrocities she viewed firsthand. Led by the uncompromising Nasha (Emma Josten), the Animal Army takes swift action to save the pigs before they are taken out for good. Donning spray-painted pig masks, the group sets out to sabotage the farm using Mirthe’s insider knowledge.
The group terrorizes the farmer’s family, tagging and humiliating them, before the tables turn in a twist of fate. The brutal patriarch (Bart Oomen) exacts revenge with unrelenting violence as members of the Animal Army are killed one by one in increasingly sadistic ways. As Mirthe and the others fight for their lives, it becomes quite obvious that the endless cycle of violence appears destined to continue. Smits frames the action with an eye for horror, even managing to gift a propulsive chase scene through the slaughterhouse that culminates in the film’s goriest sequence.
Mirthe makes for a compelling final girl, caught between her morals and the violent consequences of extremism. She doesn’t appear to side with either approach, but she also is the only character who emerges even somewhat likable thanks to the layered performance from Derkx. The closest behind would probably be the youngest son, Jonathan (Sweder de Sitter), who rejects his father’s hardened torture methods. Gnarly practical effects push the envelope in a way, but may feel tamer in a post-Terrifier world. For this viewer, they brought to mind the French Extremity movement of horror, which included now-classics like Inside and High Tension. Even if Meat Kills doesn’t manage to hit the high marks of some of those titles, it makes for a ferociously entertaining and fast-paced burst of brutalism.
The “meat is murder” message gets hammered home through pointed parallels between animal slaughter and human sadism. Suffice to say, nothing about this movie embraces subtlety. As a horror experience, Meat Kills still delivers in spades. Wickedly effective in its relentless approach, Meat Kills should thrill genre fanatics once available to a wider audience.
Meat Kills served up its worldwide premiere at 2025’s Fantastic Fest.
