Trench 11, Icky World War 1 Parasites

War is gory enough without introducing huge parasitic worms that leak out of the orifices of soldiers. It is a wonder that the incompetence and dereliction of duty of President Woodrow Wilson hasn't led to more WWI horror yarns. World War 1 is not a popular subject, especially because World War 2 provides such great horror fodder. In WW1, the Germans were not yet Nazis and allied idiocy after the Germany's surrender may be said to have led to Hitler and his Nazis. So, keeping it light, we have a WW1 tale of icky parasitic worms. Today's feature is 2017's "Trench 11," directed by Leo Scherman.

Germany is on retreat and The Great War is ending.  The Brits discover a huge trench with a massive tunnel system well behind enemy lines.  Of course Major Jennings (Ted Atherton) knows what the place is...though he isn't letting on.  We find out through German mad scientist, Reiner (Robert Stadlober). Jennings leads an allied team to the trench...and Reiner also heads back to it. The Germans want it destroyed before the allies find it.  The allies want the evil experiments within the trench. Recruited to guide the mission is Lt. Burton (Rossif Sutherland), a capable tunneller. The allies get there first and meet German test subjects...quite violent and quite grotesque.  The test subjects are hard to kill and infect or murder most of allies.

Now Reiner and his Germans arrive.  They get the upper hand on the allies...then the infected get the upper hand on the non-infected.  This will result in much gore as faces are chewed off and icky worms slither out of orifices.  Both sides now need Burton to get them out of the now collapsed trench.  Reiner still clings to his torture methods and the worm infested infected are eager to chew off more faces.  Here is the problem...if anyone leaves alive, the infection could spread throughout France. With madness and infection ruling the day, 'getting out' may not be an option. Still, Burton has reason to live...you'll see.

Are the icky worms a metaphor for President Woodrow Wilson's lack of competence and dementia which may have prolonged a war born out of mistakes and evil intentions?  Will Burton stay un-infected and escape the claustrophobic Hell that is trench warfare?  What did the Brits intend to do with the infection and the worms if they were able to get there first and steal it?  Gory and claustrophobic, "Trench 11" is a perfect film to reinforce the uselessness and folly of modern day war.