The problem is that the sociopolitical underpinnings of “Ick” feel relatively shallow and borderline sadistic, leaving viewers with a hollow “Blob” riff with too little to hold onto regarding character, setting, or even horror.

As much as Kahn delights in toggling the line between engaging and overwhelming the eye, Ick is a film rich in themes, even if its ideas are layered in between gobs of goo.

Ick cements Kahn as one of our most iconoclastic entertainers. It’s a movie whose silliness is worth taking seriously.

It is, in essence, a 2020s update of classic B-fare such as The Blob, with satirical allusions to Covid-19 dotted around for good measure. Taken on those terms, the low-budget mayhem works rather well.