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On September 19, 2025 (in the U.S.), Meat Kills (aka Vleesdag) enjoyed its first theatrical exhibition ever when it was screened for audiences in attendance of the Fantastic Fest held in Austin, Texas. Directed by Martijn Smits from a story by Paul de Vrijer, the film starred Caro Derkx, Sem Ben Yakar, Emma Josten, and others.
According to our friends at IMDB.com, here's the plot summary:
"To join an activist group, Mirthe films a pig farm's cruelty. When they return to free the pigs, they're already dead. The leader seeks revenge on the farmer's children, forcing Mirthe to choose sides as violence erupts."
For the record:
To the film's credit, Vleesdag earned a bit of praise from screenings on the film festival circuit.
Meat Kills (originally titled Vleesdag) is a 2025 Dutch extreme horror film that gained notoriety as the first film from the Netherlands to receive an NC-17 rating. Directed by Martijn Smits, it is a brutal, nihilistic slasher that explores the violent escalation between animal rights activists and a farming family.
Plot Overview
The story follows Mirthe, a young woman seeking to join a radical activist group called the "Animal Army". To prove her worth, she secretly films animal cruelty at a local pig farm. However, when the group returns to the farm at night to liberate the animals, they find the cages empty—the pigs have already been slaughtered.
Enraged by the discovery, the group's leader, Nasha, shifts the mission from rescue to revenge, targeting the farmer's children. When the farmer, Jonas, returns to defend his property and family, the farm transforms into a bloody battleground where Mirthe must navigate the extreme violence of both sides to survive.
Key Features
- Extreme Violence: The film is noted for its "hardcore" and "visceral" gore, utilizing practical makeup effects rather than digital ones. Critics have compared its intensity to the "New French Extremity" movement, including films like High Tension and Frontier(s).
- Thematic Depth: Beyond the carnage, the film serves as a satirical critique of political and moral extremism. It presents a world where "no one is entirely good or bad," forcing the audience to grapple with the dehumanization inherent in radical activism and traditionalist defense.
- Visual Style: The cinematography features a bleak, clinical, and grimy aesthetic, heavily inspired by early 2000s horror like The Texas Chainsaw Massacre (2003 remake) and Hostel.
Release Information
- Premiere: It had its world premiere at Fantastic Fest in September 2025.
- Streaming: The film is available to watch on platforms like Screambox and Amazon Prime.
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