Move over Jesse Walsh, there's a new scream queen in town — and his name is Cody Steele. Yes, the abs are real. Yes, the stunts are his own. And yes, he is doing the Lord’s queer work in Meat, a blood-drenched, unapologetically fabulous slasher from indie horror’s reigning “Scream Queer,” Roger Conners.
Let’s get this out of the way early: Meat is gay. Like, really gay. Like RuPaul’s Drag Race meets Prom Night with a healthy dose of Dragula, American Horror Story: NYC, and Party Monster tossed into the blender and pureed into a fine pink mist. If that makes you uncomfortable, it’s probably not the film for you — but if it makes you excited? Buckle up.
After a night of drugs, sex, and one very unfortunate overdose, a friend group lets one of their own take the fall. Years later, someone in a fetish-inspired murder outfit (dubbed “The Stud,” obviously) is back for revenge. It’s queer justice with a baseball bat and it’s glorious.
Roger Conners directs with the confidence of someone who knows horror and loves the hell out of it. You can feel the reverence for the classics in every frame, but this is no retro rehash — this is something new, raw, and proudly queer. From go-go dancers to funeral quips like “Are you on Grindr? We’re at a funeral!”, the film gleefully blends camp with carnage.
And that cast? It’s like The Breakfast Club—if everyone were hot and gay. Every single person is beautiful, broken, and wildly entertaining. Cody Steele’s Noah brings sincerity and bruised heart to a genre not known for subtlety. Matt Kane as Vinny channels full JCVD energy (split-kick not included), while Jason Eno’s TJ might walk away with the whole damn movie based on presence alone. Margaret Harper Jenkins drops one-liners like a seasoned pro, KateLynn E. Newberry adds pathos as Theo, and George Tutie as Deputy Chris? Give this man a spin-off. Everyone feels like a real person — even when they’re screaming in the rain and covered in blood.
And speaking of blood: the kills slap. Meat isn’t here to make you flinch once and move on — it's here to thrill, shock, and leave you gagged (literally and figuratively). The gore is balanced perfectly between practical and CG, and yes, the burn makeup looks grossly real. The killer’s mask? Iconic. You’ll see it at Halloween parties — if you’re lucky.
Let’s not forget the cameos: AJ Sloan (adult film legend and blogger) delivers a surprise treat, and Drag Race icon Pandora Boxx pops up to sprinkle some extra glam on the gore. Plus, the soundtrack is fire — every track amplifies the moment without ever overpowering it, and Joshua C. Love’s original score ties it all together with slasher-slick flair.
If Terrifier is the frat bro of modern slashers, Meat is its feral, glitter-drenched cousin who shows up late to the party, steals your boyfriend, and makes you thank him for it. It’s sleazy, it’s stylish, and — here’s the kicker — it has a soul. Underneath the sex, screams, and severed limbs is a film that actually cares about its characters and community.
Conners doesn’t just want to make a horror movie with gay people in it — he wants to make a horror movie for them. And he does. He makes space at the table for everyone, and then serves them a bloody steak with a side of sass. It’s fun, fearless, and exactly what the genre needs right now.
The lighting is energetic. The pacing rarely lags (even at 131 minutes). The nudity is tasteful. The characters are real. The film is polished to a shine, with a dreamy, surreal aesthetic that makes everything feel like a queer nightmare — in the best way.
Meat delivers. It slices. It dices. It stabs straight through genre tropes and emerges holding a glittering heart in one hand and a rainbow flag in the other. See it. Support queer horror. And prepare to cheer at the kills.
Forget final girls—Meat gives us final gays, and they’re fabulous.
Jessie Hobson