A pack of rats get very large, super-vicious and smart(er?) after eating a load of corn ready for shipment but somehow laced with steroids. Teacher, single father and lady magnet Paul Harris (Sam Groom) pairs up in all sense of the term with health official, independent woman and man eater entrepreneur Kelly Leonard (Sara Botsford) to save the city.
Very loosely based on James Herbert's first novel, "The Rats" also known under the daft moniker "Deadly Eyes" is a simple yet adroitly crafted horror b movie. There are very little surprises here: the black token character (Scatman Crothers in an all too brief appearance sadly), the stupid canon-fodder teenagers, the old guy who knows about the threat in question are all present in the mix.
But that doesn't mean it's all bad, mind you. In fact, there's plenty to keep an 80's horror fan entertained. First and foremost the acting is actually pretty decent although the characters are under developed. The gore ratio is adequate; the attack of the cinema set piece (replacing the novel's horrific attack of the train) throwing some serious punches in that regard. The rats themselves (dogs in rat suits as you probably already know) are a bit of a mixed bag, being equally odd, creepy and grotesque.
It is fair to assume that the film got better with time, its 80's origins giving it THAT particular lustre which current horror films often try to replicate (or so they claim) but hardly ever achieve. It certainly isn't earth shattering work and should be avoided by James Herbert's hard core fans at all cost. But if, like my little self, you're an 80's horror film buff then this could be a worthy addition to your collection (if you manage to get your hand on it, that is).
