Queen Crab

A small freshwater crustacean mutates into a giant monster crab and attacks a small town! This silly send-up of 1950s sci-fi knows exactly what it is and never takes itself too seriously. The acting and screenplay is amatuerish but everyone appears to be having fun. The mix of low-level CGI and Harryhausen-style stop motion effects works perfectly here. Look... this is not a big budget summer blockbuster like Jurrasic World or Kong Island. It's just a fun little sci-fi creature feature that was made by Brett Piper his crazy friends. Take it for what it is and you'll enjoy it.

If I had to guess, I would say this was a SyFy Original, but I don't know that for sure.

I love b-movies, but if you're going to make a b-movie, it has to be compelling to make up for everything else--the meh acting, poor special effects, and typically meh plot or story. These don't always show up in b-movies, but all are here.

This is not a terrible movie, it's just not a good one, nor a terribly compelling one. Unfortunately, it wanted me to take it seriously, which I think is part of my problem with it. Worse, the pacing feels slow. There were some moments of fun, but I felt like I had to wait too long for something interesting to happen.

Not enough gore for my tastes, no nudity, no babes in bikinis--these elements are not requirements, but audiences who watch these movies tend to expect these things. Michelle Simone Miller does briefly appear at the very end in a tank top and underwear, and we get a scene with Katherine Metz in a bikini. That's it for the babe factor, which is a shame, because Miller in particular is gorgeous.

Not the worst thing ever made, just not interesting.

1-3 Don't waste your time 4-6 Good 7-9 Great 10 Outstanding.

My main reason for seeing 'Queen Crab' was it being part of my "seeing low budget films out of curiosity" quest. Expectations were conflicted, with the premise being somewhat intriguing if silly and with the potential to be a guilty pleasure. With it not looking particularly good and the low rating, part of me was nervous.

Watching 'Queen Crab' taking all that into account, with conflicted expectations and taking it for what it is, the film certainly could have been far worse and there are definitely worse films out there, of its genre, kind of film and in general. Is it an irredeemably bad film? No. Is it a good film? Not even close. Did understand what 'Queen Crab' was going for, that it seemed to pay homage to 50s creature films and it was clear for it to not take itself seriously, but felt that it didn't execute either very well. And this is coming from someone who gave the film a chance with no intention to dislike it with prejudice, and saw the whole thing.

The effects are not great at all with some awkward movements and cheapness, not blending well often with the environment, but they could have been far worse. While the intention to not take itself too seriously is to be applauded, 'Queen Crab' too often gets on the wrong side of silly absurdity.

Story-wise, it is ridiculous with a lot of draggy pacing, as a result of paper thin, often unevenful and over-stretched story-telling, and clumsy and far from tense or suspenseful action. The acting is a bad mix of overdone and bland, no real standouts while the photography is relatively drab, the ending is far-fetched and the dialogue is cheesy and ham-fisted.

For all those faults, 'Queen Crab' is not a complete mess. The titular creature has a little menace and is not too goofy. The sound isn't too intrusive or too much of a drone.

'Queen Crab' has the odd fun moment, it doesn't confuse and at least it was clear what tone and approach the film was aiming to go for, that cannot be said for a lot of low-budget viewings seen recently.

Overall, very lame with a lot of huge flaws but at least didn't insult my intelligence. 3/10 Bethany Cox

This low budget movie about a giant crab keeps to its cheap roots, which is good, but makes the mistake of trying to appease the "hate mongering crowd".

In one respect, this does okay. There's a bit of a fresh approach. The idea itself was well founded, but the group picked the worst writer to pen this story, as if usually the case when too many cooks spoil the broth. The idea that "voting" on the right route and right way and right writer is a guarantee to get the most predictable and stereotypical product one can get.

It actually helps that the actors can't act, but it hurts that they can't do comedy. In fact, they're so bad, that one wonders if they were so distressed and disgusted with the amount of "hate" written into the story, that they purposely didn't try.

And that's the thing. The "hate" is there. The "small town camaraderie motif of golden age sci fi and of the Japanese Godzilla series was a positive and refreshing approach.

Here, it looks like a small group commandeered this into the direction of "no artistry" and "no enjoyment". The "joy" is totally gone from this.

It's a summation of the little things. The contrived death of a man caring enough to try to help a woman, the contrived death of a woman defending her land, the protagonist's sensible ward becoming a sheriff, a position voted upon by people who don't respect "respect".

Overall, a bad movie, but the fact that it doesn't "waste" resources or talent gives it a pass, and it is slightly watchable. It flops against golden age sci fi and Japanese monster movie sci fi, but fares well compared to the totally depressing and horrible sci fi of the 21st century.

Lots of flaws, but for modern sci fi, this is actually a safe pick for viewing. It should have had a better writer.

Way to go Tubi! What a brilliant creature feature!

Girl with awful parents befriends freshwater crab who strokes her hand with her (it's a girl crab!) mandible and thus an unbreakable bond is established between the two.

A bond that will dictate the girl's entire life and the crab's own life right into "adulthood".

Every creature feature convention trope is broken in this brave little flick, even though the special effects such as they are are cartoonish apart from those scenes towards the end lit by a phosphorescent full moon. Brilliant mood setter.

You can tell which idiots in the movie will meet their just ends at the crab's mandibles. You can also tell which characters are going to be positive and support the unlikely friendship between the girl and her pet with an exoskeleton. It's so sweetly rewarding that the morons die. I've NEVER forgiven Spielberg for killing off Eddie in Jurassic Park II, The Lost World.

The movie is rich in so much subtext: parents suck, some people don't deserve to be parents, freaks bond, girls bond, science is the only way to deal with freaks, quiet natural scenery can harbour unseen wonder and terror...and the ending just what I emotionally wanted to happen.

A 50s B grade SciFi flick with a difference. Parody with a heart of gold. Just loved the freshness of its themes.