Long before he became the master of Middle-earth, Peter Jackson was a scrappy New Zealand filmmaker with a camera, a few friends, and an appetite for the absurd. His 1987 debut, Bad Taste, is a gloriously cheap and gory sci-fi romp that's now waiting to be rediscovered on free streaming. As of August 2026, you can catch this lo-fi gem on Plex, and it's a wild ride from start to finish.
The plot follows a ragtag team from the Astro Investigation and Defense Service—Derek, Frank, Barry, and Ozzy—as they investigate a deserted village that's been overrun by aliens. The extraterrestrial invaders have turned the locals into zombie-like creatures, and it's up to this bumbling crew to stop them. The twist? The aliens are harvesting humans for their intergalactic fast-food chain. It's a premise that's as ridiculous as it sounds, and Jackson leans into it with unapologetic glee.
A Shoestring Spectacle
Shot on 16mm with a budget of around $25,000, Bad Taste is a testament to Jackson's ingenuity. The film was made with friends and family, often in their own homes, and it shows in the best possible way. The special effects are delightfully homemade—from oven-baked alien masks to vomit made from dentist's materials—and they add to the film's charm. Even the gore, which is plentiful, feels more playful than shocking, with bright green puke and pinkish blood that wouldn't look out of place in a cartoon.
One of the film's most memorable scenes involves a cult-like ritual where Frank is forced to drink a bowl of alien vomit. It's a sequence that goes on longer than you'd expect, and Jackson makes sure to include chunks of what look like vegetables in the brew. It's gross, hilarious, and a perfect example of the film's "bad taste" sensibility.
Energy Over Polish
Despite its technical limitations, Bad Taste is packed with the kind of kinetic energy that would later define Jackson's blockbusters. The film is full of crash zooms, POV shots, and wacky sound effects, all edited with a crispness that belies its low budget. It's reminiscent of Sam Raimi's The Evil Dead in its scrappy, anything-goes approach, and it's clear that Jackson had big ambitions even then.
For fans of Jackson's later work, Bad Taste is a fascinating look at the director's roots. It's a far cry from the polished epics of The Lord of the Rings trilogy, but the same playful spirit is there. If you've ever wondered where Jackson's love for the grotesque and the absurd came from, this is it.
While Bad Taste may not have the scale of his upcoming Tintin sequel, it's a must-watch for any fan of the director. And if you're in the mood for more streaming picks, check out our list of spy shows to binge while you're at it.
So, if you're ready to see where one of Hollywood's biggest directors got his start, head over to Plex and give Bad Taste a spin. It's a gloriously stupid, gooey, and utterly entertaining debut that proves you don't need a big budget to make a big impression.
