Is this technically a gay show? Even after getting through the whole thing, that's still kind of tricky to answer. There's never any physical intimacy shown between the two leads, not even a single kiss. What it gives you instead is something that goes way deeper than that. It traces an emotional bond that spans a full decade between two guys who are both dealing with their own baggage, and what they share basically amounts to being soulmates. The story moves across Japan, South Korea, and Berlin. Honestly, whether people want to call what they have a romantic relationship or not doesn't really matter to me. A relationship doesn't need a label like boyfriends attached to it to actually mean something. And closeness doesn't need to be physical to feel genuine. What this show captures is something quieter but way more powerful, a bond rooted in understanding, respect, and just showing up for each other. Across eight episodes, each running 35 to 45 minutes, this is one...
It is Ben's last night in town. He is moving to LA to become a gay porn star. On his last night, he parties with his closest friend, Dom, a straight guy who loves Ben in a profoundly platonic way. But Dom is also bit of a mess. He wants to send off Ben with some cash, so due to poor judgement from Dom, they both find themselves involved in smuggling of some dodgy looking parcels (that they are made to swallow) across the border. Turns out that the little slug-like thingies the boys swallow are not conventional drugs but living bugs that have aphrodisiac properties if harvested correctly, but which cause grave harm if they hatch while inside the couriers’ bodies. They find this out the hard way when they have an altercation with a gay bashing redneck who just hits Dom in stomach making one of the packets burst in his stomach. The du call for help to their supplier who forced them to do this and she takes them to her boss Rich's house, an older creepy man who will help but maybe after Ben gives him a taste of him. But the night turns out a fight for survival. Dom is in agony in pain with a hard dick and is being almost posted by Ben on force to get remaining packets out. Creepy Rich has eyes on Ben and when Alice tries to help them, they get shot. Now it's upto the simple yet hot Ben to save the night and get his friend out.
As I mentioned before, IMO the film doesn't strictly fall in the gay genre, but the makers very smartly add queer fantasies at every step. While Dom is straight, he also deeply loves Ben, who is secretly smitten with him. Both men get naked, but not in a sexual way. Not in a sexual way, but Ben can't help when Dom has a raging erection because of the worms, or even later when he has to pull things out of Dom's ass. The mandatory creepy older guy leering over Ben's hot body completes that cycle. The film is less horror , more thriller but this is genre that personally I am not a fan of. Ben and Dom have an amazing chemistry as friends and you a feel the sexual tension, but you also see how Ben needs to think quickly to save them out of this tricky situation. Sadly, the plot has plenty loose ends and how I wish the makers maybe reworked the script a few times. Characters continually do things that don't quite make sense, while the setting itself raises questions that go unanswered. Those expecting a more straightforward horror movie with gnarly body horror will likely come away disappointed. The film eventually becomes one of those campy gory thrillers, who have 'wannabe' written all over them. (3.5/10)
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