Predrag Critters has to be one of my all time favorite horror/cult movies. The score was great, I never had a feeling you get when watching a horror movie where you felt something for the characters and yes, even the little Critters (a.k.a Krites; alien name). Have any of you seen those little bugs best known as rolie polies? That's what I think when I see these fury critters. Mutated rolie polies from outer space. That's a killer, right there. Cute, harmless, rolie polies that got transformed into something out of this world, with fangs, fur, and claws, oh my! Some people might mistake them for a strange bunny rabbit or something of the sort, until it faces you face to face with rows and rows of jagged teeth ready to attack you! Now the Krites like to head for the neck and stomach mostly. So, if you or I were to face one of these critters, then it would be best to wear a protection thing around your neck and probably would wanna wear a bullet proof vest or something to prevent them from eating your guts out. Yes, I know that sounds horrible, but that's the critter's nature. Eat, destroy, and eat some more. Their teeth can cut as sharp as cutting through metal, now that's sharp! And they're messy, little critters.The special alien effects were okay, but the Critters themselves were abysmal, even by 1986 standards. They are not shown a lot. It is an iconic film of the 80's that reads better in the Cliff Notes. This film is a classic, from the pace, the humour, and the action to the good cast and the story. Terry Mann is awesome as the bounty hunter 'Ug'. We get to know the main characters who are all likable but at the same time the movie never feels like it drags. Critters shares a long line of mid 1980's horror/comedy movies that worked very well. There isn't much blood or even victims, but the acting more than makes up for any missed opportunities, and you are going to love the Chuck Norris style bounty hunters. It's incredibly hard not to like Critters.Overall rating: 7 out of 10.

amesmonde A group of 'Crites' hijack a prison ship and escape to earth where they lay siege on a farmhouse attacking the family inside. Director/writer Stephen Herek Critters is an ambitious creature sci-fi, along with fellow writers Domonic Muir and Don Keith Opper it juggles a lot of sci-fi elements despite a predominantly rural setting. There are intergalactic face-changing bounty hunters, alien creatures, spaceships and ray cannons. Herek and company in true 80's fashion spend little time in giving the creatures and bounty hunters a back story leaving it to the imagination. This works in its favour compared to the excessive exposition in many of today's films. Likewise, the Critters just happen to come across the farmhouse after chowing down on a bull. Interestingly at the time of Critters' VHS run I unjustly saw it as a rip off Gremlins, much like Munchies. Yes it cashed-in on its popularity but writers have since pointed out that it was written before Joe Dante's classic went into production and subsequently underwent rewrites to reduce the apparent (in the ether) similarities between the two films.The escaped alien Crites with their sharp toothy grins and tranquilizing dart quills amusing roll around like hedgehogs on speed. Encapsulating the sound of 1986, artist Che Zuro plays in the background among some other 80s bands with David Newman's score giving power to the action setups and menace to the Critter puppets. The encounter in the cellar where the father is attacked is quite effective, especially the preceding search and reveal by torchlight. The Critters are amusing times, at one point they converse with subtitles, "They have weapons" says one, "So what?" replies another before getting blasted away. There's also scenes where a Critter encounters an E.T. (1982) doll – tearing it apart, a toilet hiding Critter (a likely homage to 1985's Ghoulies) and also a moment where one eats a cherry bomb may rouse a chuckle. In the opening the commander of the prison hires two shape-changing bounty hunters to pursue the Crites/Critters to earth (maybe his inspired AVP Requiem's story-line). These hunters, with Space Marine like costumes get some humorous moments mainly because of mistaken identity by the small townspeople. Tim Curry-like actor Terrence Mann takes form of the rock band front man Johnny Steele, complete with a Bon Jovi hairdo. While the other takes on faces of a few locals notably Don Opper who plays a duel role of both the bounty hunter and the towns paranoid drunk Charlie McFadden. McFadden a friend of young Brad Brown have a Miyagi and Daniel san Karate Kid bond which is older man young boy relationship that are seemingly avoided in films these days. Brad played by Scott Grimes (who latter would voice American Dad's Steve) is a stereotype 80s film kid experimenting with fire crackers, bickering with his sister and trying to bunk off school. Notable is Billy Green Bush's Jay Brown as an everyday farmer and his wife played by Dee Wallace Stone). Wallace is given very little to do, the character Helen Brown is purely functional and pretty much retreads her E.T. mother role, that said she does get to fire off a few shots at those Critters. Playing Brad's teenage sister April is fresh faced actress Nadine Van der Velde (who was 24 years old at the time) and incidentally appeared in the aforementioned copycat film Munchies. Actor Billy Zane sporting a little rats tail shows up as April's boyfriend, destined to be Critter fodder. For sale-ability appeal Blade Runner's acting veteran M. Emmet Walsh plays the pretty useless local Sheriff Harv. There are a handful of stunts and although the optical effects have unsurprisingly dated the practical effects still hold up well. The impressive gooey face changing sequence is memorable and the Critters themselves are simple and effective from the rolling, to the firing quills with plenty of good old fashion blood on display after an attack. After the bounty hunters cause some mayhem in the church and a local bowling alley (the teams shirts echo a Ghostbusters logo design) they arrive at the farmhouse to capture the Critters. In the final act after the family house is invaded we have our heroes go about rescuing April from a giant kidnapping Critter. Herek gives us an obligatory end explosion, a chance for a special effect team to show off their fine miniature model skills, with moments for the editors to flex their skills. In addition, with some eggs laid in a barn there's the inevitable unashamed set up for a sequel (which came two years later in 1988).Critters still has a charm about it thanks to the novel creature design and acting of likable Grimes'. Produced by New Line's Bob Shaye (A Nightmare on Elm St.) Critters is squarely aimed at its mid-teen target audience and despite some bumpy pacing Critters delivers enough laughs and playful alien set-ups to retain a lasting appeal long after the VHS was replaced by DVD and on-demand films.

nzswanny Definitely a good movie! It's a fine mix of horror, comedy and sci fi all in an hour and a half! However, I would really wish that the movie was longer. If the movie was a bit longer, I'd rate it 10/10, but because it was a bit too short I rated it 8/10. But still, this is a VERY good movie. The jokes are funny, the scares are (very occasionally) scary, the sci fi is a job well done - the perfect movie for fans of horror comedies and science fiction! The humour isn't exactly pointable, and it's a bit hard to figure out...but when you figure out the joke's definition, you will laugh! This is an especially good movie for 10+ because I remember watching this when I was 9 turning 10, and I LOVED it! A must see!!!

Jamie Spraggon Critters is a 1986 comedy horror film, which takes place in a quiet town starring a simple and disciplined family who live on a farm. It stars Dee Wallace who many people recognise from her role in The Howling. The main character is little Brad Brown who is the youngest member of the family and gets into all kinds of mischief e.g. fighting with his sister setting off fireworks etc. He must protect his family as his mother has a breakdown and his father has been injured by the fury creatures from space who plot nothing but madness and destruction too this quiet little farming family.Critters is an OK family comedy/horror movie. I used to own all 4 of them in a box-set and was only keen on 1 & 2 so I got rid of 3 & 4 after I watched them a few years ago I just watched this one again recently and decided that these are not films that are worth me keeping, so now I own none of these, but I still recommend these to all you horror fans, sci-fi fans and comedy fans as they are worth a watch... well the first two anyway.***/***** Could be worse.