After "Gremlins" pulled in some insane box office numbers, it's no surprise that multiple knock-offs were soon to follow. "Critters" is probably the best, not only giving New Line a nice return on their investment, but also spawning three sequels in the process. Though things may be slow to build, it ends up being a highly enjoyable little creature flick.
After destroying their prison ship, the "Crites" set sights for Earth. Following closely behind are two shape-shifting bounty hunters determined to kill the voracious aliens at any cost. Caught in the middle are a small Kansas town and the Brown family, now at the mercy of both interstellar races.
"Critters" has just about everything you could ask for. Spaceships, bounty hunters, a town drunk, a lead singer to an 80's hair band named "Johnny Steele," chickens, and needle shooting, flesh-eating teeth with fur. Easily the best part of this film is these oddball creatures, far more devilish than those created for Joe Dante's classic. The problem is that it takes too long for them to get any screen time and in the process it bores anyone watching. Viewers get a brief first look around the forty minute mark, though it does allow for a little bit of generic character development. That's not necessarily a good thing when the only characters the audience wants to see are not involved in the process.
Comedy isn't quite the focus here, but it's clear from the start this movie is not about to take itself seriously. The relatively "cute" communication method used by the Crites is subtitled twice and it makes for the funniest moments. Both bounty hunters provide a few laughs as they tear apart a planet they know nothing about and of course the hungry little aliens die in humorous ways. See if you can catch the numerous pop-culture references too.
Ok, so this isn't art house cinema at its finest nor is it original. It's somewhat under whelming in the end too. That doesn't mean it doesn't provide a good time. If you've seen "Gremlins" too many times and liked it but feel the need for something else, this is the best alternative you'll find. It's certainly better than the awful "Munchies" which would star Nadine Van der Velde who stars here as April. (*** out of *****)
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