Critters - Sie sind da!

I saw this film for the first time as a kid on a coach on the way home from a holiday in France. I guess whoever was in charge figured all the kids would be asleep by the time they put this on, but I managed to stay awake and watch the lot, and Critters became a firm favourite of mine for the next few years. Despite seeing this film and the first two sequels several times as a kid, I could pretty much remember nothing about it when it came to watching it this time; and despite the fact that Critters is not quite the film I remember it being, this is still a fun little eighties crapfest with plenty to recommend it for! The plot focuses on a war in outer space that spills over onto a farm in a small mid-western town. The town unwittingly greet a meteorite, that later gives way to a host of nasty, furry little creatures with big teeth! Hot on their tails are a pair of intergalactic bounty hunters sent to track down the furballs - but the 'critters' get their first, and manage to cause quite a lot of damage before the bounty hunters eventually arrive...

Critters is clearly reminiscent of the 1984 hit Gremlins, as evidenced by the basics of the plot as well as the focus on humour. The critters themselves are hilarious little creations - thick black hair and a mouth full of teeth, but in their own way they're also fairly frightening! Gremlins isn't the only influence on this film - the whole idea of something bad coming from space being followed by something to stop it obviously came from The Terminator, and there are a number of other ideas taken from elsewhere - but the film doesn't feel like a bunch of stolen ideas, and that is to it's credit. The secluded farmyard setting is also to its credit, and again, while it's not the most original location for a film like this to take place, it works well so that isn't a problem. The cast, which includes the likes of M. Emmet Walsh, Dee Wallace and Billy Zane, all do their jobs well, and the action is always exciting enough to ensure that the film remains interesting. I won't say that this is a classic of the genre - but its good fun and I certainly recommend it.

and they roll and they chew and they eat and eat and eat. Darn those space people for solving the critter problem.

This was one of those TV late night movies that is totally awesome because of its creativity. Oh course while I watched it, I had no dreams of Gremlins and never connected the two.

In reality, I guess Critters are Gremlins without the Gizmos, but then again Gremlins without Gizmos are just plain mean.

and Critters are just mean....

They kill with no reason, they eat like there is no tomorrow, and even the Church cannot save the poor town's cattle.

As far as a classic, this is not, but it and Tremors are up there with the most immaginative and creative horror movies of the past few decades.

At the start of 'Critters', somewhere in space, 10 'Crites' are being brought to custody, but 8 of them escape, so that 2 hunters have to get them back. Now, this sequence could have easily lasted 10 minutes in any other movie, but 'Critters' doesn't waste time: it takes about one minute. There is no explanation what these Crites are exactly, who the hunters are, or why the're all going to earth. They just do. That way, all the fun happens on the earth. The Crites come to earth nearby a farm in the middle of nowhere (where else really), where they attack the family living there. The usual scenes of the kettle eaten, the silly police chief and the village idiot/drunk who warned everybody this was going to happen are all thrown in, but the movie never loses pace and is pretty funny all around, and not that gruesome either. A nice 80's horror flick, worth watching. 6/10.

Eight flesh eating aliens has escaped from a maximum security prison in space! These aliens are traveling to Earth to eat anything living. The Brown Family (Dee Wallace Stone, Billy Green Bush, Scott Grimes, Nadine van de Velde) are being stalked and trapped in their own farm house. The only ones that could help The Brown Family is a shape- shifting trigger happy bounty hunters that could help destroy the aliens.

Directed by Stephen Herek (Bill & Ted's Excellent Adventure, Life or Something Like It, Mr. Holland's Opus) made an genuinely well made low-budget sci-fi/thriller with comedic overtones. This film was a small box office success. The film went on to be a Cult Favorite. Also starring in this film is M. Emmet Walsh as a Sheriff, Terrence Mann as the lead Bounty Hunter and Don "Keith" Opper as Charlie. Which Opper did some additional writing for this film. Lin Shaye from "Kingpin" and "There's Something About Mary" fame has a bit part. Watch for Billy Zane has a bit part as well.

DVD has an sharp anamorphic Widescreen (1.85:1) transfer (Also in Pan & Scan) and an good digitally remastered:Dolby Digital 5.1 Surround. DVD also includes an alternate ending as a hidden feature. "Critters" is amusing knock-off to "Gremlins" but done extremely well, despite it's low budget. Written by the director and Domonic Muir. From a Story by Muir. Robert Shaye (The Then-Founder of "New Line Cinema") executive produced the film. This is worth seeing. Followed by Three Sequels. (*** ½/*****).

This movie is one of the rare low-budget horror flicks that are actually good. The basic plot is that little furry monsters (kind of like hairy kirbys with teeth) land from outer space and begin to eat the town they land by. Pretty basic storyline, but this is a monster movie you know. The Critters (or Krites, to be precise), are, while obviously puppets, very cool and well done. The human actors on the other hand...well, they are terrible. The dad, his shoulder and leg practically gnawed of by critters, remains alert and vigilant, even though he's covered in blood. The boy is average, at best. The bounty hunters are alright. The best actor is Charlie, the drunk. He pulls off a very good performance.

Ok, so this movie won't make any headlines, or be famous. But if you are looking for a late night horror movie, with a dash or two of humor, Critters is a good choice!