Parasyte: The Grey Proves That Body Horror Is Still Popular© Provided by MovieWeb

Body horror films have declined in recent years, but Parasyte: The Grey reinvigorates the genre with grotesque alien parasites and intense action.
The series features horrifying, unique parasites that tear victims apart, lacking emotions and showcasing stunning CGI transformations on screen.
While body horror has struggled to enter the mainstream, Parasyte: The Grey‘s success hints at a potential resurgence in the subgenre’s popularity.

Horror is a genre with limitless possibilities, with various sub-genres always finding ways to be incorporated within. However, over the decades, horror has primarily featured a few more popular concepts: paranormal, with ghosts and exorcisms, cults, serial killers, and true psychological horror. While there are, of course, many exceptions, the themes mentioned above are the most popular with audiences today.

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However, an underrated subgenre, body horror, which deliberately depicts grotesque violations of the human body, has arguably not entirely entered the mainstream. In this genre, there are usually mutations caused by an extraterrestrial creature or a virus that spreads through contact. Of course, there are famous, well-known directors who specialize in the genre, such as David Cronenberg, but even his latest film, Crimes of the Future (which admittedly may not be his best work), failed to make a splash at the box office.

This is where Parasyte: The Grey, Netflix’s latest adaptation of Hitoshi Iwaaki’s popular manga, comes into play. The series, written and co-directed by Yeon Sang-ho (Train to Busan), has received rave reviews following its debut on the streamer on Apr. 5, 2024, primarily for its outstanding portrayal of body horror. So, will body horror as a subgenre be able to enter the mainstream?

The Decline of Body Horror

Body horror was a staple in movies during the 1990s and prior, but there has been a recent decline in the quality of these films. While some of the best horror movies are created by indie filmmakers and a handful from the mainstream media, horror has become more about jump scares and deep, psychologically disturbing films.

For example, years ago, we had some phenomenal body horror films like Alien, The Thing, The Fly, and Slither, which heavily relied on gore and plot rather than the other elements that most modern horror films use. Although there have been a few body horror films in the previous decade, such as The Void, Under the Skin, Tusk, Possessor, and The Autopsy of Jane Doe, the number of productions has dwindled considerably. However, Netflix has unveiled Parasyte: The Grey, a live-action adaptation of Iwaaki Hitoshi’s iconic manga that makes excellent use of the concept of body horror.

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How Parasyte: The Grey Makes Use of Body Horror

Parasyte: The Grey

4.5/5

Platform(s)Netflix

Release DateApril 5, 2024

CastKim In Kwon, Kwon Hae Hyo, Lee Jung Hyun, Koo Kyo Hwan, Jeon So Nee

Seasons1

Streaming Service(s)Netflix

Parasyte: The Grey tells the story of Jung Soo-in, a young woman who is taken over by an alien parasite moments before she is about to be murdered. Unlike other parasites that completely take over humans, Soo-in partially mutates with one, resulting in a series of confrontations in which she must battle both parasites and her own kind. As one of the best Netflix series of the year, Parasyte: The Grey takes body horror to the extreme, using bizarre alien faces to create fabulous action and horror.

Almost every sequence involving a parasite features a variety of frightening physical characteristics, in which their faces split apart and form into thread-like weapons, slashing their victims into pieces before consuming them. Every parasite is born with a unique ability, such as soaring through the sky by twisting its skin into wings, surveying its surroundings for prey with its long, extended neck, and leaping around with its hulky tentacles during fights with strong opponents.

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Furthermore, the disturbing human body without a head is replaced with an alien organism’s horrifying face with two (or one) eyeballs, adding a new level of unease. These parasites likewise lack emotions since they are born to survive and care for only their species, regardless of the circumstances. The CGI of a human’s face transforming into a parasite is also exceptionally well done, with little to no errors on the side of the actors and the crew working behind the project.

Can Body Horror Really Be Mainstream?

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We’ve seen several instances of body horror in films and television series. Still, most of them fall into sub-genres, leading to the assumption that body horror will never become mainstream. However, even in anime, where the horror genre is not usually prioritized, notable titles such as Tokyo Ghoul, Made in Abyss, Akira, and Parasyte: The Maxim have made significant contributions to the body horror subgenre.

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On the live-action front, adaptations such as Attack on Titan and Parasyte have truly outdone themselves in terms of crafting well-done, horrific CGI monsters. While the Attack on Titan films weren’t particularly great adaptations, the horror element was done right and captured the terrifying nature of the Titans. Even while body horror has consistently declined over the last decade, films like The Void and The Human Centipede demonstrate that it is capable of captivating audiences just as much as traditional horror, albeit arguably more disturbing.

Consequently, Parasyte: The Grey brought the best of body horror, especially by abandoning some characteristics from manga and anime that made the plot more emotional and less horrifying. If more films and TV shows follow in the footsteps of Parasyte: The Grey and produce superior projects, whether they are remakes of the classics or new adaptations, the subgenre is bound to increase its widespread appeal. Parasyte: The Grey is currently streaming on Netflix.