By Mo Moshaty

If Ryan Kruger’s gonna give us anything, you best believe it includes batshit characters, gruesome effects and grotesque action, and it comes in spades in his reimagining of Street Trash (2024); a gooey and gritty exploration of Cape Town’s homelessness crisis. The film begins by running down the roster of our central gang.

Ronald (Sean Cameron Michael), the loveable curmudgeon with a heart o’ gold. Ronald has been having some trouble keeping his community safe from The Rat King (Suraya Rose Santos), keeping them sound and just shy of starving. His partner in crime, Chef (Joe Vaz), keeps the odd couple comic relief going as the voice of reason. Couch cushion dwelling Wors (Lloyd Martinez Newkirk) and Pap (Shuraigh Meyer) the very much Heckle and Jeckle-coded brothers in arms help to round out the comedic corner. Never shown on camera Reggie leads our POV, and lastly, there’s the wholly eccentric 2-bit played by Gary Green (returning for another Kruger special) whose imaginary (eh, or maybe not) friend, Sockie adds toilet humor and a pounding surrealism to the mix.

The gang is getting along just fine, striving to survive day to day on what they have for who they’ve got – until angsty newcomer Alex (Donna Cormack-Thomson) who’s joins the gang seeking guidance after Ronald rescues her. As the gang uncovers a sinister plot by the corrupt Mayor Mostert (Warrick Grier) to eradicate the homeless population using a deadly substance known as “Viper,” they’re thrust into a fight for survival.

Street Trash‘s greatest strength lies in its practical effects, which deliver the grotesque body horror fans of the original expect, as slime, melting faces, and pulsating pustuous wounds abound! The character dynamics, like the bond between Wors and Pap or Chef’s efforts to provide comfort through cooking, inject moments of humanity amidst the carnage. Where the film struggles is trying to balance its absurdist and gross-out humor with the weight of its social commentary. While the themes of socio-economic oppression and survival are gripping, they feel underdeveloped, leaving the story a bit disjointed.

Giving what you know the die-hard fans of the original want comes with a cost, as those nostalgic callbacks overshadow opportunities to create something new, making the film feel like an homage that’s struggling to recapture the gritty charm of its predecessor.