Strange Nature (2018) - full transcript

[frogs croaking]

- [Reporter] This frog is
trying to tell us something.

So is this one.

Significant abnormalities
were also found in Wisconsin,

Missouri, and New York.

- There's something
in the water.

- [Reporter] A hot spot induced
deformities in 75 to 100%

of the frogs.

- Pollution officials was asked
if she would drink the water

and she said "no".

- It could be only
a matter of time



before other species are
affected, including humans.

[slow music]

[calm music]

♪ Please don't make me go home ♪

♪ I can't handle the sight
of that place again ♪

♪ Please don't make me go home ♪

♪ I'm wanted there even
less than I'm wanted here ♪

♪ If I have to go home ♪

♪ And say I'm sorry for things
that I'm not sorry for ♪

♪ I'd rather keep on destroying
myself by my own means ♪

♪ Than opening up that door ♪

♪ Please don't make me go ♪

- Okay.

Here we go.



Lake Superior.

[sighs]

It's the biggest one.

It goes all the
way to the ocean.

Come on, kiddo, you don't
get to see that in LA.

Look, I know this
move is not your jam

but once your grandpa
has his surgery

and he's feeling
better, we can leave.

- We're broke.

How can we leave?

- If we hate it, we will
find a way to leave.

- What if only I hate it?

- Well, I guess you'll
have to suck it.

Gosh, oh, I love this song.

♪ Please don't make me go ♪

♪ Please don't make me go ♪

♪ I'm not going home ♪

♪ I'm not going home ♪

♪ Please don't make me go ♪

- Hey!

- Whoa, cool dog.

- [laughs] I bet that's Kinky.

- Hey, Kinky.

[Kinky barks]

Is that the outhouse?

[coughing]

- Yeah.

- It's nasty.

- [Chuck] Hey!

Would you rather go--

- In a bucket?

- [laughs] It's
a triple flusher.

- Hey, Pops.

- Oh.

Hey, Brody.

I'm your grandpa.

Grand daddy.

Pah poo.

Ah, hell, that all makes me
sound like a dry old fart.

You can just call me Chuck.

Hey, around here whether
you've come out of the crapper

or just cleaned some fish
guts, men shake hands.

Ah, yeah, okay, okay,
I'll wash first.

[spits]

Ah, there you go.

Home sweet home.

Welcome.

Anything changed?

It's still the same old place.

- Man.

Ma always loved this.

- There's a lot of
dead animals here.

- [Chuck] Oh, yeah.

- [Kim] Yeah, Pops
loves his dead animals.

- Well, who's up
for a little swim?

We can get our suits on,
head down to the lake.

What do you think?

[sighs]

[birds chirping]

[frog ribbits]

[screams]

- What?

It's just a frog.

[shouts]

- Watch out, watch out.

What's going on, guys?

- It was a frog.

And it's all messed up.

- [Boy] What should
we do, Miss Eva?

- Show 'em to someone.

Right?

- [Boy] Hey, there's
another one over here.

- [Eva] Holy shit.

- Hey, Chuck, when we get
back, can I use your computer?

- Computer?

Don't believe I'm
familiar with that term.

- Oh, god.

[splashing]

- Oh, now, don't get
her too tired out.

She's pregnant.

- Really?

- Puppies.

- Ha!

You hear that, Brody?

[groans]

Hey, what's going
on with the town?

It seems...

I don't know, like
it's not doing so good.

- Well, most kids leave.

Graduate high school,
why stick around?

Unless you want to
work in pesticides.

- Pesticides?

- Hey, Brody, what do you
want to be when you grow up?

- Well, [sighs]
I was thinking...

What was that?

- Uh oh.

It's the granddaddy carp.

He's as big as a canoe.

[splashes]

- [laughs] You city kid.

[slow music]

[camera clicking]

[growling]

[gasps]

[shouts]

- Fuck, fuck!

[screams]

[whimpering]

[growling]

Fuck.

[screams]

- [Eva] We found three.

There might be more.

- [Kim] Jesus.

- [Brody] Could I see?

- Where did you find these?

- [Eva] In the woods
over there by the pond.

- [Kim] Ugh.

Dad, that's, that's
real close to the house.

- Yeah, it's just frogs.

Freaks of nature.

[laughs]

- What's this?

You, uh, joining the
Girl Scouts, Chuck?

- Hiya, guys.

How's Judy?

- Due in a couple of weeks.

I'm ready for it to be over.

Who's this?

- My daughter, Kim.

- Oh, yeah.

Kim Sweet.

[laughs]

♪ Sweeter than candy ♪

- [Sam] Remember that?

- Sam, Larry, guys, come on.
- Just, just messing with her.

- Hey, come on, come on.

What's in the box?

- Some deformed frogs we found.

- Ew.

- [Kim] Hey!

- Put those things
out of their misery.

Some things just
aren't meant to be.

- Survival of the fittest.

Hey, kids?

[screaming]

- Put that away.

Come on, these kids are little.

Is it even hunting season?

- No, it's not.

- Sorry.

- Sorry, Kids.

I think we're gonna have to
skip the rest of the hike.

We should head back.

- Hey, you're gonna show
those to somebody, right?

- Yeah, I'll show
them to Mr. Douglas,

the science teacher
over at Birchwood.

- Good.

- Alright, you have a nice
hike back and be careful.

Even though there's
no hunting here,

somehow it creeps in
from time to time.

- [Eva] Wait up, guys.

[knocking]

- Come in.

- Hi, Mr. Douglas.

- [Trent] Hi, Eva.

- I have something
you should see.

[slow music]

[ominous music]

- Oh, hell, it ain't that bad.

Come on.

Look, you see those
weird handprints there?

That's your mom's hands
when she was your age.

- What's up with that thing?

- Oh, never mind
that old pervert.

He won't bite.

But be careful, his
eyes might wander.

- You know, I think I might
just go in the winter bucket.

- Yeah?

You're the one cleaning it.

All mine.

- Doesn't look so bad.

- Why can't you
just homeschool me?

- [sighs] Brody, I gotta work.

- Well, then why can't
Chuck homeschool me?

- You kidding?

That'd be like having a
cereal box homeschool you.

Come on.

It'll be fun.

You'll make new friends.

- I had friends.

- You'll get more.

♪ Give you what you need ♪

♪ Could I ever be
the one for you? ♪

♪ 'Cause you're the
only one for me ♪

♪ Your lips are
sweeter than candy ♪

♪ Your body is
hot to the touch ♪

- Dad, can you, can
you turn that off?

- Oh, but it's so great though.

I'm so proud of you.

That's why I kept
all this stuff.

- Yeah, just...

Can you turn it off please?

- Wait, wait, wait.

This is my favorite part.

♪ I want you so much, so much ♪

- I know but it's just...

I can't fucking watch that shit.

I don't want that
to be who I am.

- Alright.

Who do you want to be?

- I don't know.

Just not a fuck up.

[sighs]

- You're into superheroes.

Amphibious mutant
ninjas and all that?

Right?

Well, how do you think that
could happen in real life?

Benny?

- [Benny] Toxic waste.

- Well, that's
always a possibility.

These extremely deformed frogs
were recently found nearby.

Pollution, parasites,
pesticides,

even UV rays have all
been culprits in the past.

We will attempt to determine
what this cause may be.

Sound like fun?

It will be.

- [Reporter] And a search for
a missing Itasca county boy,

12-year-old Jonah Anderson...

[growling]

For a hike in nearby
Riverside Park.

Given the park runs
along the Mississippi,

search crews are
also sweeping...

[ominous music]

Recently said they are
following every tip

and every connection possible

to bring the
12-year-old home safely.

- There you go.

- [Reporter] After
apparently being exposed

to liquid propane vapors...

- Slide it right in.

- [Reporter] St. Louis county
sheriff's office says...

- [Chuck] There you go.

- Dad!

What the hell?

- Uh, and of course
never mess with guns

unless an adult is present.

Whew.

- He's still a kid.

- The police are still searching

for Jonah Anderson,
the 12-year-old boy

that went missing from
Grand Rapids five days ago.

He reportedly went
alone on a nature...

- Well, I don't want
him going to a gunfight

with a wet noodle in his pocket.

- I don't even know
what that means.

There are no gun
fights in his future.

Listen, there's some
kind of, I don't know,

half chewed up deer on
the side of the drive.

- Eh, it's probably just road
kill but let's go take a look.

[owl hooting]

[slow music]

[grunts]

- I don't get it.

Where is it?

I mean it, it was
right around here.

- Maybe it's further over.

- Maybe.

- Maybe it was injured
and limped away.

- Oh, wait, Mom,
Mom, Mom, Mom, Mom.

Look.

- [Chuck] Another one?

- [Brody] Another two.

- [Chuck] Jesus.

- Whoa.

See?

He's all fucked up.

- There is a normal deformity
rate among amphibians

but if there are more,
say if it goes above 2%,

it can be cause for alarm.

There's actually some reports

of deformed frogs being
found upstate a while back.

- Really?

- [Trent] Mm-hm.

- How many?

- Not a ton but
enough to get noticed.

- Well, what causes it?

- [laughs] Nobody really knows.

It's something in the water.

You know, the problem is
they're not as cute as dolphins

so nobody seems to care.

Huh, buddy?

- So in relatively
small numbers it's okay.

- Well, not necessarily.

Frogs literally soak up
their environment, right?

They can be wonderful
indicators of what's...

[knocking]

Yes?

- Excuse me, Trent.

I have those lab permission
forms you wanted.

- Oh, yeah.

Thank you, Sandy.

Um, this is one of my
student's mothers, Kim Sweet.

- [Kim] Hey.

- The Kim Sweet?

- Uh, well, a Kim Sweet.

It's nice to meet you.

- Pleasure.

I'll talk to you later, Trent.

- Thank you, Sandy.

Uh, the Kim Sweet?

- Yeah.

[laughs] I kinda had this, like,

itty bitty pop music career,
like, a million years ago

but it's not important.

We don't have to talk about it.

- Okay.

Maybe some other time.

- [Kim] Yeah.

- You know, for now
I would concentrate

on how many more deformed
frogs you can find

on your property and look
for signs of pollution.

- Like fast food
wrappers or chemicals?

- Chemicals.

- But since this kind of
thing only happens to animals

that live near the
water, we're good.

- Kim, we are animals
that live near the water.

- Can we go swimming?

This is boring.

- Oh, damn, boy.

Give it a chance.

Besides, this water might
be bad for swimming.

I want you to stay
out of it, you hear?

- Then why are we--

- Being on it and being in
it are two different things.

- So it's safe to
eat fish from here?

- Oh, you don't catch no
fish in this lake anyway.

- Then why are we fishing?

- It's not about the fish,
it's about the experience.

- Experience of
not catching fish.

- [laughs] You'll understand
when you get older.

Uh, what did you and
your friends do for fun?

- Comic books,
skateboarding, online gaming.

- Yeah, we might not have
much of that around here

but we got each other.

We got family.

That's what it's all about.

We take care of each
other no matter what.

So, what do you want
to be when you grow up?

Aw!

Friggin' son of a...

Look at that.

Made in China bull crap.

Well...

- So what do you think about
those people disappearing?

- Well, that all happened
an hour or two north of here

so it's nothing you
need to worry about.

- There was a kid who
went missing about my age.

Think they'll find him?

- I'm sure they will.

No, it's yours.

- Seriously?

Wow, thanks, Chuck.

- Always comes in handy.

Yeah, I guess we
could head back.

[ominous music]

[retches]

Hey, do me a favor, huh?

Don't tell your mom.

I don't want her to think
it's any worse than it is.

- Uh, do you want me to...

- No, no, no, no.

I got it.

- What, you don't like
boats with motors?

- [scoffs] I am the motor.

Ready?

Varoom.

- You really think
we're gonna find more

of these mutant things?

- The kids keep calling me
to find out what happened.

Mr. Douglas said it would be
a huge help if I found more.

- Okey dokey.

[splashes]

- [Eva] What are you doing?

- If you want to catch a frog,
you gotta think like a frog.

Ribbit!

- I appreciate that
but just so you know,

I won't be joining you.

- Come on, give me a hand.

[laughs]

Oh, shit.

Oh, crap.

- My savior!

Ugh.

- Oh, gosh.

Ugh.

Oh, crap.

- [Eva] What?

- I think I lost my
shoe. [ominous music]

- Well, come on.

- I'm actually kind of stuck.

- Whatever.

- Seriously.

- [Eva] Well, whatever.

You're on your own.

- Seriously, I
think I'm kind of...

Come on.

[growling]

[screaming]

- What was that?

- Uh, nature.

Just nature.

- [Reporter] In regional news,

Grand Rapids officials
report no new leads

in the case of Jonah Anderson
but search parties continue

to look for the 12-year-old

in the areas surrounding
Riverside Park.

A young woman from
International Falls

has now been officially
declared missing.

The Crow Wing County Sheriff's
Department is searching

for 34-year-old Tina Stevens

who was last seen
heading to Black Lake

to photograph wildlife
two weeks ago.

Authorities found Miss
Steven's destroyed camera

and signs of a
struggle in the area,

leading them to
suspect foul play...

In sports news...

[slow music]

[engine rumbling]

- The search for a missing
12-year-old boy continues

near Grand Rapids.

Still no clues have been found--

- Dad!

- [Reporter] But local
police are considering--

- Dad.

Dad, shut it off.

- [Reporter] Mayor Paulson
of Duluth addressed--

- Pesticides.

It totally makes sense.

- Pesticides.

- Yeah, pesticides.

You see how close we are to
all of these farms, right?

Well, they spray all these
farms with pesticides,

herbicides, that sort of thing.

- Yeah, yeah, yeah.

So?

- Yeah, so pesticide
overspray leaks into the lakes

and the ponds and then bam!

- Deformed frogs.

- Exactly.

- Okay, look, we don't
even know what kind of...

- Well, let's go ask 'em.

- Well, the closest farm
is owned by Larry Rogers

who you met the other day.

- Who?

- Skunk slinger.

- Perfect, he's a goon.

Let's go.

[groans]

Where's Brody?

- He's taking a shower.

I mean, are you just looking
for something to fight for

or against or...

Keep out of the
water, we're fine.

- Fine?

You're willing to bet your
grandson's safety on fine?

- No.

Do you even know what
you're looking for?

Not yet.

[sighs]

- Do we have to
use boiled water?

After a few minutes,
it's freezing.

- Well, it's a clean,
safe shower, isn't it?

- I don't know.

Are these more winter toilets?

- Ugh.

- Oh, jeez, you guys.

Shh, shh.

- People need to be aware.

Look out for your neighbors.

Authorities in
International Falls

and Grand Rapids believe
these are kidnappings

and quite possibly related
to human trafficking.

- The Mayor is still
encouraging people to...

- Hey, Chuck?

What's with the neighbors?

- [Chuck] Neighbors?

- Neighbors?

We have neighbors?

- Yeah, across the lake.

That little deformed
girl with her dad.

- Okay.

Look, now, both of you.

You stay clear of
them all together.

- Christ, you're
practically a hermit.

Who do you want to
be associated with?

- Look, there've
been some bad rumors.

- Seems safe with
the little girl.

- Just stay away from them.

If good fences make
good neighbors,

then a whole lake
makes even better ones.

- No.

I should go with you, Kim,
I'm the science teacher.

- No.

Not gonna happen. He doesn't
even want to go with me.

I just need to know
what to look for.

- Okay.

If it has anything to
do with pesticides,

it would probably
involve Chloroprene.

Chloroprene contains
synthetic retinoids.

That's a derivative
of Vitamin A.

- And that's the shit
that mutates the frogs?

- Retinoids have been known
to cause severe birth defects,

including limb malformation.

- Limb malformation?

[knocking]

[door squeaks]

- Oh, heya, Chuck.

- Heya, Larry.

- How ya doing?

- Hey.

Kim.

- Oh, yeah, hey.

Sweet.

- Yeah, Kim's son's doing
a school report on farming

and we were wondering if
you could show us what kind

of pesticide you're spraying?

- What is this, Chuck?

- Look, she's living with me
now and with her young son.

And she's concerned about safety

with the pesticides
being used in the area.

- Well, DDT was the nasty stuff

but they, you know, they
banned that back in the 70s.

I only use organic shit
from American Patriot.

Well, not shit
literally but, you know.

- Right, I got it.

Can I just see the containers?

- What?

- Uh, what could be
the harm, you know,

just to put her mind at ease?

- My word should be good
enough for you, Chuck.

- Good enough for the EPA?

- I'm telling you, guys,
this is a waste of time.

I ain't got nothing to hide.

- Yeah? Then why don't
you show it to us?

- Come on, Chuck.

How long we been neighbors?

Can't you at least come
back a little later?

I'm right in the
middle of something.

- You could just
show us right quick.

We'll be out of your hair.

- [sighs] Fine.

Wait.

Wait here.

I'll be right back.

Wait.

Wait here.

- This is bullshit.

He's hiding something.

- No, Kim, don't--

[banjo music]

[laughs]

- Holy crap.

You people actually exist?

- It's, it's not, I don't...

Don't judge.

We're all consenting adults.

- Yeah, no, it's, uh, oh.

- No, that's just a friend.

You know a thousand kids
is killed every year

by household cleaning products.

Why don't you go
harass those companies?

- American Patriot Chemicals.

All organic.

No Chloroprene.

- Well, uh, let's go, Kim.

Sorry about this, Larry.

- Yeah.

Well, you know, while
you're here, you guys,

you want to try something on?

- Are you fucking nuts?

- Okay!

We'll be going.

- Wait, wait, no,
wait, wait, wait.

Wait a minute.

Hey, is, is this all
about them mutated frogs?

- Yeah.

You seen 'em?

- Yeah, I seen about, oh,
five, last couple days.

- Where?

- What are you doing?

- Oh, uh, looking for frogs.

So you live across
the lake, huh?

- Yeah, with my dad.

- Wanna help?

- Sure.

Want me to hold that?

- Yeah, thanks.

We're looking for any
frogs that are deformed.

You know, frogs with
extra or missing legs.

- How come?

- Well, someone should be.

Plus I think they're
kind of cool.

Sorry about the kids at school.

Total pricks.

- It's okay.

I'm used to it.

- You think this water
could've done something

to you and your dad?

- My dad was born like
that, in New Jersey.

Not here.

- [Brody] Are there always
so many snails out here?

- So, Larry's working
on the ATV on a hill.

Doesn't put it in gear,
rolls right into the lake.

- Oh.

- [Man] Again?

- Again.

- Can I take that down?

- Oh, yeah, I'm sorry.

That must have happened tonight.

Don't worry, Kim, you'll
win 'em over eventually.

[rips]

- Another exciting
Shirley Temple, please.

- [Woman] Oh, for the
mother to be, anything.

- The search continues
near Hawksridge Park

for 18-year-old Eva Johnson...

- Hey.

- And 19-year-old Derek
Novitzki who have been missing

for four days now.

Three days ago, Eva
Johnson's car was found

in the parking lot of
Birchwood Elementary.

- At this point we're
considering the disappearances

to be tied into the
potential kidnappings

that occurred in International
Falls and Grand Rapids.

- Oh, sick bastards.

- See?

That's what I'm afraid of, Kim.

Not frogs.

- But it all started
happening about the same time.

- Well, it was probably
the pesticides.

I mean, you don't know
what the hell they put

in the water these days.

- No, hey, hey, don't, stop.

Don't talk shit about something

you don't know
anything about, okay?

American Patriot's
been good to us.

- You're drunk.

- And that's what
keeps this town going.

- Hey, Greg, what were
you and Sam talking about

the other day?

- Oh, here we go.

- No, no, Judy, this is...

There's this disfigured father
living with his daughter

right across the lake
from Chuck and Sam.

- Oh, right, right.

That's that Joe Shit the ragman.

I mean, he's the father.

- Him and that nasty girl
bathing right in the lake.

- And?

- And?

It's fucking gross.

And it's dangerous.

See this?

We got into it real heavy on a
job site a couple years back.

He said he'd scar the whole
town if he could find a way.

Maybe he found a way.

Who knows how those
people got kidnapped

but if you ask me,
that freak did it.

- [Woman] Oh, Sam, you're drunk.

- [Sam] We got a monster
living across the lake.

- [Man] Take it
easy, take it easy.

- [Sam] Someone's
gotta do something.

- [Man] Alright.

[phone ringing]

- Yeah, Edna.

Well, no, no, I
lost track of time

but she's still waiting there?

My gosh.

Uh, send her in.

Send her in right away.

Sorry.

[sighs]

Miss Sweet, so sorry to,
uh, keep you waiting.

Please have a seat.

- Thank you for seeing me.

- Of course.

My pleasure.

It's been a, been a busy day

but they're all busy
days, aren't they?

Yeah, now you are
somewhere here.

I will find you.

Here.

Right.

You have been making
some discoveries?

- Yes, um, Mr.
Mayor, I'm a mother.

I have a kid and
there's other mothers...

- Deformed frogs?

Miss Sweet, you found
some deformed frogs.

That's it?

- Yes.

Um, and just because we
don't know of any ways

in which it's affected humans
doesn't mean it hasn't.

- Well, that's true that, uh,

that is a legitimate concern
and I understand that.

[sighs]

But I'm sure you'll
understand that right now

my primary concern is finding
those missing teenagers.

- Can't we do both?

- Miss Sweet, this city
used to have a top rank

in the entire country as
a place to raise children.

- So don't you want
to tell people, like,

stay out of the water or don't
eat local fish or something?

I mean, what if it turns out
to be pesticide pollution?

- Now why would you say that?

- Well, just 'cause the
local pesticides are organic,

does that mean they're safe
or they just sound safe?

- Miss Sweet, I'm going
to ask you a question

and please, I'd like you to
try to answer it honestly.

In any part of
this are you trying

to regain publicity
for yourself?

- You think making
a bunch of noise

about mutant frogs is gonna
reignite my pop career?

- No.

I'm just telling you what
other people might think.

American Patriot Chemicals
have already been tested

and approved by the EPA.

That's a big deal.

- Well, did they test it on
wildlife during fetal stages?

- Farms in Northern
Minnesota are already using

their pesticides,
their fertilizers.

They love them.

Local farms here have started
using them this spring

to great success
and now we're going

to start rolling them out
to surrounding states.

It's a success story.

- What if it hurts people?
Could you live with yourself?

- Half of this state
is agricultural land.

If you kick start
a premature scare,

those farm families starve.

And could you live
with yourself?

- God, you're like
some movie mayor.

Mr. Mayor, my dad's
property is in the middle

of a bunch of these farms

and on one of those farms they
found a ton of these frogs.

Do you think that's
a coincidence?

- And your science
degree is in what?

- I'm working with a
local science teacher.

- Uh huh.

And who would that be?

- Trent Douglas at Birchwood.

- Elementary School?

- Yeah.
- Yeah.

Tell you what, Kim.

Somebody bring me
some solid evidence

that connects deformities
and the pesticides

and I will take action.

I promise you.

Uh, you know, American
Patriot Chemicals

is the biggest job
provider in the city

and they pay a lot of taxes

so I'm not gonna cause
any trouble for them

without any probable cause.

You understand?

- Right.

- Right.

Thank you for dropping by.

- Thank you.

- Yes.

[whistles]

[slow music]

- Hi.

I would like to speak
to a reporter, please.

- Okay, if I can just
get your name and number

and what this is about,

I can make sure that
someone will contact you

if they feel it's newsworthy.

- Okay.

I've been finding these
deformed frogs, see?

On my dad's property
and farms around there.

- I know who you are.

We're not giving
you any attention.

- Look, I don't want
attention for me, I--

- War, bad economy,
no jobs, missing kids,

that's what people care about.

I was at your going
away party fundraiser.

I donated $20.

Remember that?

And now you want us to put
you back in the spotlight?

- No, I...

Look, see, this girl?

She's the one who found
the deformed frogs.

- Oh, what a coincidence.

I guess you think I just
fell off the turnip truck.

- Can you just do
your job, you know?

Like just pick up the
phone and call somebody

who's not a bitter old gash.

- Security?

And get a haircut.

- The baked meat.

It's fantastic.

The maple syrup really makes it.

- [Trent] Really?

- [Kim] Oh, yeah.

- Thank you.

- Do you think she
wants some more?

- No, I think she's alright.

Her appetite isn't
what it used to be.

Dementia's really
caught up with her.

- Yeah, I'm sorry.

How long has she been like that?

- Oh, two years now.

It's tough.

I wish I could do more for her.

Can only afford to have
a home care nurse come by

like once a day and even
that's putting us in the hole.

- Well, I'm sure
she appreciates it.

- I'll do whatever
I can for her.

She's my mom.

You want to, uh, you want to
go in the other room and talk?

- Yeah.

Sure.

- Come on, Mom.

Time to go to bed.

- Seven more of these
deformed frogs today.

Just today.

And a shit ton of snails.

Or so Brody says.

- Did you say snails?

- Yeah.

A bunch of them all
around by the pond, why?

- Snails can be major
carriers of parasites.

- Parasites?

Well, what brings
in all the snails?

- Algae, plant growth.

Why do you care so much?

- Why wouldn't you care?

- You know, people
remember you around here.

You might be able
to get on the news.

- That won't work.

- Why?

- [sighs] I had
a top 20 pop hit.

And I thought I was a big deal.

Gave a bunch of interviews
about this place

and slagged on it.

These were good people.

And they believed in
me and I flushed 'em.

- [Trent] So then what happened?

- Well, right when we
were hitting the charts,

this scandal came out.

When I was recording the album,

the record company told me
that I had the right look

but, uh, they had somebody
better to cover the tracks.

So...

- So you didn't sing at all?

- Nope.

I wanted to.

I wanted to.

- After that...

- Dropped off the
charts like a hot rock.

Had a complete
nervous breakdown.

I bottomed out.

I'm lucky to be alive.

And that's when I
met Brody's dad.

He put me back together again.

Saved me.

Anyway, I got a call from my dad

that he's got liver cancer
so [laughs] here I am.

- What did they say
his outlook was?

- A 15% survival
rate past five years

but with this surgery he's
got a fighting chance.

- I think it took a lot
of guts coming back here.

Taking care of
your dad like this.

I do.

- Really?

I mean, it's not like I left
behind some fabulous life.

- Doesn't matter.

You always have options, Kim.

Don't forget that.

- [Kim] What are my options now?

- Um...

I...

I give a really good back rub.

I give a really
good foot rub too.

- Really?

[kissing]

[flies buzzing]

[ominous music]

- Thanks, Mom.

[gunshot]

- Mom!

- Dad!

- Get him out of here!

- What the hell are
you shooting at?

[whining]

- [Brody] Mom.

- Wait.

Dad, put the gun down.

Where's Kinky?

Brody!

Brody!

- Brody, don't you touch that.

- Brody!

- Brody!

You get the hell back here.

[splashes]

[screams]

How about these dinners?

Package even said
"deformity free".

Nothing?

- Brody could have
gotten really hurt, Dad.

Why would you do
something like that?

- You didn't see
them being born.

The way they were hurting Kinky.

The way they might hurt us.

- Hurt us?

- I don't know.

I was putting them out of their
misery, for crying out loud.

You think I like
killing puppies?

- Yes.

[knocking]

- [Kim] You know,
this the first mammal

we've seen like this.

- What's wrong with it?

- I'm trying to find out.

Of course it would have helped

if the rest of them
weren't in pieces.

- Is it even safe
for us to stay here?

- We have no idea
whether it's related

to any kind of
chemical pollutant.

- Well, what the hell
you think it is then?

X-Men?

Ah, didn't think I knew
about them, did ya?

[groans]

- [Kim] Brody, don't touch it.

- Truth is to this
day we don't even know

what causes most
human birth defects.

You mentioned
something the other day

about finding a bunch of snails.

- Yeah, a ton.

- There's been cases

where parasitic worm
life cycles launch

using a snail as a host.

See, the snail carries
'em down to the water

where they run loose and
invade another species,

like a tadpole.

See, they burrow into the
tadpole right at the limb buds,

deliberately screwing
up the development,

causing missing or extra limbs.

- Why would a parasite do that?

- When the tadpole
matures into a frog,

it's handicapped so it's
easy prey for birds.

The bird easily swoops
down, picks up the frog,

eats it, digests it.

The parasite can then spawn
more larvae in the bird feces

and the infected feces
then fall down to the shore

and gets picked up by the snail.

The whole cycle starts again.

- Sounds like damned
science fiction.

- What if these parasites
are getting into our water?

- Hello.

Today we're talking with
local pop sensation Kim Sweet,

visiting us in our
public access studio

and, uh, Kim, uh, I believe
you have something you'd like

to say to the people of
Duluth before we get started?

- Yes, um, I just
want to apologize to
the people of Duluth

for anything that I said
that was really stupid

when I was young and
for any of the hurt

that I might have caused.

Um, there are really good
people here in this town

and I, um, I'm very, very sorry.

Thank you.

- Thank you, Kim, for, um,
your brave and sincere apology.

But, um, what I'd like to talk
to you about today, um, here

is about the deformed frogs
you found near your home?

- Yes.

There have been
some deformed frogs

that have been turning up
in the lakes and the ponds

in the area and we don't
know what is causing it, um,

but we think it
could be a problem

and maybe a very
serious problem.

- Well, you know, considering
you're not a scientist

of any kind, some might accuse
you of being an alarmist.

- Okay.

Alright.

Okay, so my, our family dog
had puppies this weekend

and, um, sorry.

- Oh, god, okay.

- This is, this is one.

Does that look alarmist to you?

I just--

- [Interviewer] I
don't want that...

Oh, my god, we are so done.

- [Kim] I just, if Mayor
Paulson is watching this...

[beeps]

[raining]

[thunder crashes]

[slow music]

- What about deviled
ham for breakfast?

- Breakfast?

- Sounds delicious.

- Grody, Brody.

Alright, pick out a
cereal, you get one.

Hey, hey, hey.

You want some sugar
to go with your sugar?

Come on, healthy.

Chocolate sauce?

That's too expensive.

- Well, what about this?

It's kid-tested and
mother approved.

- Sold.

Alright, we gotta make tracks.

- Sounds healthy.

- What you got there, Munchkin?

You want me to go find
you a couple masks?

[laughs]

- Dude, get us some bananas.

- Oh, look, he's
pretending he can read.

- Oh, hey, Joe, looks
like they got a picture

of your long lost
relative in the paper.

Huh?

[laughs]

- Hey, if he hasn't done
anything to the water,

how about a blood test?

See if you're contagious.

You know, just to
prove everybody wrong?

- You mean prove
you wrong, asshole.

- Easy, kitten.

- Yeah, we know what
kind of freak you are.

Calm down.

- I got an idea.

Why don't we test your kid?

- Hey!

[punches]

Hey, uh, Joseph.

Um, uh, you guys doing okay?

What are you looking at?

People can be shits.

- Please, don't hurt me!

- Hey, just take
a breath, grandma.

Hey, hey, hey!

They're not worth it.

Hey, it's, uh...

I get it.

You know, um, we're neighbors.

We live right across the lake.

So if you guys
ever need anything.

You know, just
don't be a stranger.

[engine starts]

[tires squealing]

[phone ringing]

Yeah?

[beeping]

- Push.
- Come on, push.

- Keep pushing, good.

- Yeah.

- Good, good, keep pushing.

- Push, dammit, like
you're on a leg press.

Come on, push.

- Push, push, push.

- Look, babe, you're doin' good.

- Good, okay,
alright, good, good.

- [Sam] You gotta push.

You're doing good, come on.

- [Woman] Good, good,
good, good, good.

- [Sam] Push.

Okay, okay, come on, focus.

That was good.
- That was good.

- You're doing good.
- Alright, breathe.

Alright, focus!

- [Sam] Good, good,
good, push. Come on.

You're doing great, come on.

- [Woman] That was
good, that was good.

Breathing.

Alright, here we
go, here's one more.

- [Sam] You're gonna
go another set.

- I can't.

- Is this normal?

She looks like she's
in a lot of pain.

Breathe. Now we're gonna
do another set, come on.

- [Woman] Here we go,
one more, one more.

- [Sam] Just like we're at the
gym, come on, push, come on.

- [Woman] You gotta push.

- [Sam] Here it comes.

- [screams] Oh my God!

- No, this isn't normal.

Something's not right.

- Good, good, good.

The baby's coming, here we go.

Here we go, here we go!

- You're doing good,
you're doing good.

Get her some pain
pills, come on.

[screaming]

Push!

- Good, good, good.

[baby crying]

- You did it, you did it.

[laughs]

Oh!

Fuck that!

[crying]

- Look, I understand
your concern

but you really don't
need to stay here.

I mean, he'll probably
be out for quite awhile.

I promise, we'll
keep you updated.

- Can you just...

Can you at least tell me

what you think might
have caused the tumor?

- We actually don't know yet.

He never had regular
checkups over the years so...

Has he had a history
of alcoholism?

- No.

I mean, not that I know of.

- Well, if not I would
think Hepatitis B or C

but he doesn't have
either of those.

Parasites, arsenic...

- Parasites?

- From contaminated water.

Oh, but that's usually only
found in developing countries

so I'm sure...

Anyway.

[seagulls squawking]

[baby gurgling]

- Judy.

Hey.

- Oh, hi, Kim.

What are you doing here?

- Yeah, I was just,
uh, checking on my dad.

- Oh, I heard.

I'm so sorry.

I hope he'll be okay.

- Well, we all missed
seeing you at Mike's.

I figured the baby came.

Can I say hello?

- She's really sick.

- Oh, I just, I
gotta take a peek.

- She's really sick.

[baby crying]

Look, I'm...

I have to go.

- What's she got?

- [Interviewer] Some might
accuse you of being an alarmist.

- [Kim] Okay, alright, uh...

Okay, so my, our family dog
had puppies this weekend

and, um, sorry.

[mumbling]

What?

Does that look alarmist to you?

I just--

- [Interviewer] I
don't want that.

Oh my God, we are so done.
- [Kim] I just...

[beeps]

[knocking]

- Kim?

- Hey.

- Look, Kim, I'm
really busy right now.

- Judy, look.

I know something's wrong.

What did you name her?

- Danielle.

- That's real pretty.

- Look, I don't want anyone
else in the town to know.

And please, please don't
let Sam know that you know.

- Yeah.

Of course.

[gasps]

Judy.

[sighs]

That's...

Listen, do you mind if I...

Could I take a few photos?

- Why do you want to
take pictures of my baby?

- Look, I know... I know this
has got to be so hard for you.

I can't even...

I can't even imagine.

But if I could just
take a few pictures,

just collect some evidence,
then maybe we could get help.

- Help for what?

- Don't you want to
know what caused this?

- These things happen.

And it's nature.

It's not like I'm
the first one ever.

- What about the
animal deformities?

What about those--

- What are you saying now,

that my baby is
some kind of animal?

Is that what you're saying?

- No.

No, Judy.

I, um...

Look, here.

Please just take a look at this.

I'm so sorry.

[slow music]

Here's your proof.

Take it and use it.

We need to keep pesticides
out of the wetlands.

- Are you following me?

- At least call the Governor

and stop telling everybody
that things are fine

when you know that--

- Miss Sweet.

I know that you've had some
puppies born with complications

but different is
not necessarily bad.

Okay, that's bad.

Uh, where did this happen?

- Where do you
think it happened?

God, what smells?

I think that salmon is bad.

- No, the salmon is
actually very good.

You know, you can
have some if you want.

So who did this happen to?

- She doesn't want to be
identified in the media.

- Right.

Okay.

So why is this
happening so quickly?

- Parasites.

- Not pesticides?

- No.

Pesticides and fertilizer
dramatically increase algae

and plant material
that snails feed on.

- So snails are the bad guys?

- Snails are the hosts
for the parasite babies.

- Parasite babies?

- You know, little parasite
baby maggot things?

- Oh, the larvae?

- Exactly.

Look, you wanted
evidence, here it is.

More pesticides, more
snails, more parasites.

- Got a problem

and that is we've had
pesticides around for decades.

Why is this happening now?

- Well, you said yourself

that this spring
was the first time

that American Patriots Chemicals
have been used in the area?

Okay, well maybe
there's something in
their eco-friendly mix

that gives the algae a boost.

Look, and there's also deformed
frog sightings upstate.

This year and last year.

- [Mayor] Are these the places

where you found the deformities?

- [Kim] Yeah.

- These are the same locations
as the disappearances.

But if we're looking for a
kidnapper, serial killer,

then why would that
correspond to the deformities?

- You think they're connected?

God, how can you stand that?

That smell is awful.

- What, this?

No, this is yummy.

- [Kim] Ugh.

- I think you just
don't like fish.

- No, I normally love salmon.

That shit is rank.

- I promise you it's not.

- Ugh, excuse me.

- Are you alright?

[ominous music]

[camera clicks]

- Hey!

What, what's with the pictures?

- I was just taking a picture

of that pregnant
lady over there.

Might be one of
them monster babies.

- What?

Get out of here!

- Months earlier.

Most recent numbers in the
birth defect outbreak are...

- Christ, Kim.

You can't be pulling that kind
of stuff with the tourists.

They spend a lot
of money in here.

- Yeah, but did
you see his shirt?

- Oh, I know, I know.

They're everywhere.

Hey, I'm sorry about your dad.

- Yeah.

Thanks.

Where's Greg?

- [Bartender] You didn't hear?

- No, I've been off
a few days. What?

- His sister gave birth to
one of those mutant babies.

- Oh, no.

Is she okay?

- [scoffs] She's in shock.

I mean, I think they're gonna
give it up to the researchers.

- What?

- Well, what would you do?

- I don't know but I don't
know if I'd pawn it off

like some lab rat.

- Well, it's not going away.

I mean, everybody's leaving.

And the whole town
might get quarantined.

And the crazy thing is

all these tourists
keep coming in here.

- Yeah, checking out more
than the fall leaves, huh?

- Yeah.

- I personally investigated

since the first
deformed frog was found.

The Governor has been made
fully aware of our situation.

The Environmental
Protection Agency,

the Center for Disease Control
have also been notified.

The citizens of Duluth
will be taken care of.

- The birth defect
outbreak are...

[upbeat music]

[rips]

- What's your problem?

- She-freak must
be his girlfriend.

That's what my dad said
should be done to you

and your creepy dad.

- Why?

- Because of you, my aunt's
baby's all messed up.

[smacks]

[ominous music]

[phone beeps]

[sighs]

- Trent Douglas.

- Yes?

- We need to talk.

[dog whimpering]

- What is it, girl?

What is it?

Shh, shh.

It's okay.

Shh, sweetie.

Shh, shh.

Stop, shh, it's alright,
it's okay, it's alright.

It's alright, girl, it's okay.

Please.

Stop.

Stop.

Shh, shh, shh.

Ugh, ugh.

Well, could you just come out
here and look at her, please?

Please.

It's awful.

Trent?

Trent?

What the fuck?

[beeping]

Okay.

- Yeah.

- How's that?

- Mm-hm, mm-hm.

- [Kim] That better?

- Thanks.

How's my dog?

- She's, she's fine.

Yeah.

- I want you to take her
and Brody and leave town.

- Why would we leave?

- Honey, the cancer
is inoperable.

It always was.

The tumor's growing real fast.

You never have as much
time as you think you will.

- God damn it, Pops.

Why didn't you fucking tell me?

- Wanted to give you hope.

I figured if the surgery was
always a little ways off,

maybe you'd stick around longer.

I'm sorry I hurt you.

Come here.

Hold my hand.

[crying]

Oh, you know as well as anyone

that none of us knows
what the hell we're doing.

We just do what we
think best at the time.

- Yeah.

I do.

We're...

And we're not going anywhere.

[ominous music]

[knocking]

- Hello, Sam.

- Hey, Sam.

Look, Sam, I've been thinking
about this on the way over.

- No, shut up.

We had an agreement.

Okay?

You guys do mine and if they
need it, I'll do your sister's.

It's gonna be easier this way.

Trust me.

- Look, man, this
is really crazy.

We can't...

- Look. Look at what
it's doing to her.

Okay?

That thing is not human.

- God.

I mean, aside from getting
caught, we can't...

- We're not gonna get caught

because we're all
in agreement, right?

Right?

- Yeah.
- Yeah.

- Yeah.

- Okay, now, let's
just stick to the plan.

Come on, stick to the
plan. Get in there.

Come on.

- Hey, Judy.

- Hi.

- So, uh, how do you
want to do this, Sam?

- What are you, what
are you gonna do?

- It's doing something to you.

I mean, hell, for all I know,

it could be spreading
something to me.

Come on.

Give it here.

We'll take it.

- Her name is Danielle.

It's Danielle.

[coughing]

No, don't, don't.

No!

[baby crying]

- Give me, give me that thing!

- No, no!

[coughing]

- Take it to the bathroom!

[retching]

- No, no, no, no, no, no, no!

- Go!

- No, no!

[crying]

[baby screaming]

[gentle music]

- Sorry about Chuck.

- You hung up on me.

Why did you do that?

- I...

- Why didn't you call me back?

- I was gonna call you back.

I just...

I'm sorry, I was...

I was just dealing
with something.

- Just don't.

- Do you want to tell me
what happened to Kinky?

- I don't even fucking know.

She started shaking.

She couldn't stop.

I tried to hold her still

and her skin was so thin it
tore underneath my fingers.

She shook and shook and shook

and then vomited all over
herself and then she was dead.

- The fetus leaves behind
a parasite infestation

carried over from the water.

Theoretically this could
affect an entire generation

of a species.

- We can take our research
and go to the government

and we can get help, right?

- That's what I want
to talk to you about.

- What?

That's a lot of money.

- [Trent] American
Patriot will launch

its own investigation.

I can have my mother
taken care of.

We can move away from all this.

- What if this shit's
getting in Lake Superior?

When does it stop?

No.

Hell, no.

[rips]

- A verb is a word
that displays...

- Action.

[bangs]

- Freaks!

[yelling]

- Stop!

- Get him, get him!

[bangs]

- Shit.

[groans]

- Where are you, you
ugly little brat?

- My sister had one
of those things.

You did something to
the water, didn't you?

- You know we didn't, Greg.

Please don't hurt my girl.

- What did you put
in the water, Joseph?

Did you put something
in the water?

- You know we didn't.

- We want you out
of town tonight.

- We're gone.

- Just don't talk to anyone.

I'm coming right back, alright?

I want to clean out my desk
before they confiscate it

because they may
quarantine the town soon.

- I'll be waiting.

- I'll be right back.

- Hey.

I'll tell you when you get back.

- Alright.

[rustling]

- What is it?

[growling]

- Get inside!
- Trent!

[screams]

[ominous music]

[grunts]

- [screams] Oh, I'm bit.

I'm bit, I'm bit!

Crazy little freak!

- They're not vampires,
you dumb shit.

- What do I do with her?

[groans]

[yells]

- I say we finish
this right now.

- [Greg] He agreed to leave.

- And they just get
to leave it behind?

- We're not killing anybody.

- We're not killing.

We're saving.

We're saving our town.

What about Judy?

Huh?

- What proof do you have
that we're the cause?

- Just shoot the ugly bastard!

We're not sparing the
ones that did this.

- What do you mean the ones?
You are not touching the girl.

- This lake is ground zero.

Do you see any other
mutants around here?

- Help, help.

I need help.

424 McGregor Lake Road.

Please, please can you send...

Send officers, please!

Please send help now!

There's been an animal attack.

Trent!

Trent!

A friend of ours,
he was attacked.

Brody!

Brody!

Oh, my God.

Just fucking send help!

- [Greg] Take it easy.

- [Sam] Nobody wanted them here.

What about Judy, huh?

- [Greg] He's gonna leave.

Just take it easy.

- I don't trust him.

I don't trust these mutants.

They're not people.

Why couldn't you just leave?

Nobody wants you here!

This ends right now.

- [Greg] No, Sam.

No, no!

Sammy, no!

No deaths, dammit.

[screams]

[siren wailing]

- Drop the weapon!

Drop the weapon now.
- Alright.

- Ma'am?

Did you make that 911 call?

- Yes, yes.

I need you to help me
find my son, please.

I don't know where he is.

But there's some kind
of wild animal out here.

[screaming]

- I'm gonna kill
you, you fat freak.

I swear I'll kill him.

[screaming]

[gunshot]

- You hear that?

- Sounds close.

- Call for back up.

[growling]

- Behind you!

[screaming]

[gunshots]

- Michelle?

Michelle?

Michelle?

Michelle?

Michelle.

Michelle.

Michelle.

[growling]

[screaming]

[gunshot]

[ominous music]

- Station 13-75, Code
Two, officer down.

- Brody.

[growling]

[screaming]

- I love you.

[breathing heavily]

Go home.

[growling]

[gunshot]

[screaming]

[gunshot]

[gurgling screaming]

[slow music]

[gunshot]

[growling]

[gunshot]

- Brody.

Shh.

Outhouse.

[twig snaps]

[snarling]

[suspenseful music]

[gunshot]

- Oh, God.

[bangs]

[growling]

Mom!

- Oh my God.

[smashes]

Brody!

Get in the house.

Get in the house!

[gunshots]

[growling]

[yells]

Brody, ammo!

[screams]

- Daddy!

[growling]

[grunting]

Daddy!

[gunshots]

- All cases have occurred

within a 200 mile
radius of Duluth.

Given research supplied
by Mayor Paulson,

the CDC and EPA will be
launching full investigations.

The link between newborns

and their mother's fatalities
is still undetermined.

Now back to the ongoing war...

- Mom?

Am I a bad person for
what I did to that man?

- A bad person?

- I hurt him pretty bad.

- Did you like hurting him?

- No.

- Then I think you're good.

You know, Brody, I was thinking.

Maybe next time just brown...

- Finally, something
I can relate to.

- Yeah.

- Do you think babies will
turn out mean like the wolves?

- I don't know.

Hey, you ever figure
out what you want to be

when you grow up?

- Well, I did want to
be a veterinarian but...

- [laughs] Not so much.

- No.

- Yeah.

At least we're getting out of
here before the winter, huh?

- Mom?

- Yeah?

- I'm tired.

- I bet you are.

Come here.

I love you.

- I love you too.

[calm music]

[soft Christmas music]

- Extreme birth
defects have spread

to areas surrounding
the Great Lakes.

Two cases with similar
deformities have surfaced

in the Green Bay, Wisconsin area

as well as one in
Milwaukee and another two

in the Detroit, Michigan area.

Many of these areas
had previous reports

of deformed wildlife.

It's believed a
deadly combination of
organic pesticides,

fertilizer and
parasites in the water

may have led directly
to the outbreak

in the wildlife birth defects

and possibly the human
fetus complications.

- [Announcer] Hey.

The wait is over.

Pick up your copy
today of Inoculation.

The newest release

by the hot new alternative
actor, Tall Man.

Now available at
stores everywhere.

- Hey.

Just in time.

Want to come meet
your little sister?

- Yeah.

She's so cute.

- She's so perfect.

- Like her hat.

- Yeah.

This is Brody.

He's gonna take really
good care of you.

[baby crying]

[ominous music]

[calm music]

♪ Hot to the touch,
the touch, the touch ♪

♪ Yeah ♪

♪ Your kiss is
driving me crazy ♪

♪ It's driving me crazy ♪

♪ You're poison but I want
you so much, so much ♪

♪ I want you ♪

♪ You're sweeter than candy ♪

♪ Sweeter than candy ♪

♪ Your kisses are hot,
your kisses are sweet ♪

♪ Your kisses are hot,
your kisses are sweet ♪

♪ A [mumbles] I was craving ♪

♪ Sweeter than candy ♪

♪ Driving me crazy ♪

♪ Driving me crazy ♪

♪ Sweeter than candy ♪

- Are you sure it's
isolated enough?

I mean, there's a lot of people
that aren't cool with this.

- It's fine, believe me.

I don't want to get
my ass kicked either.

- Okay.

Let's whip it out.

- Okay.

- Okay.

- I'm still the wizard but I
want to use a sword this time.

- No, I'm an elf.

I get to use the sword.

You can use a wand.

- [Man] I don't
want some lame twig.

- You smell that?

- Oh, what the hell?

[flies buzzing]

[retches]