A German import with some potential, Revenge of the Rats (Ratten - sie werden dich kriegen! in German) elicits few fears from the audience, likely the result of its direct-to-TV nature. While the build up is nice and some concepts work as intended the PG-13 slapped on the case limits the level of gore and violence. Hungry rats that barely hurt more than a person's hand make it a hard sell.
A few scenes manage to shine as feisty rodents overrun the city of Frankfurt. A strike amongst city workers leaves trash piling high and a heat wave compounds the issue. Rats begin swarming, and the films lead characters head into the sewers to find them… with flamethrowers. This leads to the inevitable discovery of hundreds upon thousands of the buck-toothed critters, all a little hungry.
Standard creature features rules apply, including a bigger threat in a communicable disease that slowly begins spreading yet is never fully realized as a plot point. The creature(s) in question act out of character, and the unlikely hero gets the girl while saving the day. This is an overly long production, coming close to two hours. It feels like it, too.
Tensions slowly run high as a rat is found munching on bags in a blood bank to grab a quick drink. A computer generated rodent takes over for a nice hiss and a reveal of his incisors. This, of course, sends the hospital into a panic, and the problem continues to grow.
As with any film of this type where there are countless animals, the film ends on a generic note. Of course, a few manage to survive. It's only logical given their sheer numbers. The solution simply doesn't work.
To even see this one on DVD in the US is a surprise. It aired in 2001 in its home country, and by now, anyone hoping for another obscure rat fest (like Killer Rats from 2003) had probably given up all hope. The wait wasn't worth it, but for interested fans, it's a semi-enjoyable viewing if you know what to expect. 
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