September has officially arrived, bringing with it the spooky season and all the freaks, geeks, and ghouls out from under summer’s shadow. Always on the search for something new, I stumbled across Fang—a micro-budget indie horror that had a quiet release back in 2022. It might be four years old, but it was new to me.
Reading the synopsis, I wasn’t sure what to think. An autistic man under immense stress struggling to take care of his ill mother gets bit by a rat… then turns into a rat? Was this a body horror flick reminiscence of David Cronenberg’s iconic masterpiece The Fly? Or maybe the plot would unfold as a simple creature feature showcasing a giant man-rat going on a blood-thirsty rampage. Kind of like Cocaine Bear from 2023. Except without the cocaine. Or the bear. I genuinely didn’t know what to expect, but I’m always willing to give horror on a budget a chance. What unraveled on screen was a piece of cinema that delivered in ways I never saw coming.
Opening with an gritty eye-catching scene that gives hints of B-movie classics and episodes from shows like Tales from the Crypt and Creepshow, Fang throws you straight into the life of Billy (Dylan LaRay). The autistic man works as a janitor at a Chicago meat processing plant while caring for his mother, Gina Cochran (Lynn Lowry: The Crazies 1973, Shivers 1975). As Gina’s struggle with Parkinson’s worsen by the day, she takes a fall when she’s home alone and they’re forced to employ a round-the-clock caregiver named Myra Valenti (Jess Paul).
Billy and Myra form a bond, and the assistance alleviates some strain from Billy’s life. But money’s still tight, and his mother’s behavior becomes more erratic. Feeling insurmountable stress and pressure from keeping his life together, Billy watches as the disease takes more from Gina, turning her into someone he no longer recognizes. Things take a wild turn when he’s bitten by a rat and he, too, slowly turns into something unrecognizable.
Though it was produced on a shoestring budget, Fang uses every inch of those laces utilizing all available resources in the best possible ways. Attention to detail is given to everything from cinematography, lighting and set design to practical special fx and performances that feel authentic and real. There are a few scenes that easily could’ve come across as cheesy, and outright laughable. While there’s a touch of humor in some of these parts, the lighting and camerawork add an atmospheric touch and drums up a slight sense of unease.
Overall, this well-paced film is crafted in such a way that’s almost reminiscent of Darren Aronofsky’s award-winning film Requiem for a Dream. Though it doesn’t reach the heights of Aronofsky’s work, it still does a fantastic job reflecting the weight of Billy’s responsibilities, his transformation and his slow descent into madness.
Taking this piece of cinematic horror to another level are the performances. Though this is merely his feature film debut, LaRay hit the role of Billy out of the park. He embodies this character and the dramatic transformation so well it earned him four awards for Best Actor. Paul is equally impressive and convincing in her supporting role as Myra, which landed her two well-earned awards for Best Supporting Actress.
And of course, there’s Lynn Lowry. This powerhouse name in horror gives a fierce performance that’s both disturbing and heart wrenching as her character slips further and further away from mental stability, succumbing to the crippling disease of late-stage Parkinson’s. It’s one hell of a performance, and one that earned her multiple well-deserved awards for Best Actress.
With ingenuity and creativity, and a strong cast, filmmaker Richard Burgin delivers an impressive feature film for his debut. Yes, you read that right. This is his first full feature. Blending genre elements ranging from psychological and body horror with a side of creature feature, Fang is a turbulent spiraling of sanity right to its brutal, bloody end. It’s streaming now on Amazon, and available for purchase on Blu-Ray and DVD at burginworld.com.
