Nature bites back - literally - in this claustrophobic Irish chiller from debut feature writer/director Billy O'Brien. A farmyard-set mix of Alien and The Thing, it's a cautionary eco-fable in which "mad cow disease" takes on a horrifying new meaning. John Lynch excels as a struggling dairy farmer who faces a genetic nightmare after reluctantly allowing scientists to conduct DNA experiments on one of the last in his herd. The gory horror that follows is understated yet sustained, making effective use of the movie's low-budget resources. Like most creature features, the plot is generic and the supporting characters largely two-dimensional. But what gives this visceral flick real edge are its slow-build atmospherics and unrelenting sense of dread. O'Brien treats his subject with intelligence and seriousness, enhancing its believability while marking himself out as a name to watch.

On a remote Irish farm, five people become unwilling participants in an experiment that goes nightmarishly wrong.