Critters Synopsis & Review: Plot Summary

🎯 Quick Overview

😅 Plot Summary – Badly Explained

Fuzzy space furballs with a taste for human flesh crash a farm party, and the only thing that can stop them are two alien bounty hunters who are way more destructive, probably inspired by Gremlins but with way more teeth.

🍿 Critters: Detailed Plot Synopsis

Escape from the Asteroid Prison

The film opens with the Critters, small, furry, and vicious alien creatures, escaping from a maximum-security asteroid prison. These creatures, known for their insatiable appetite and sharp teeth, commandeer a spaceship and set a course for Earth. Warden Zanti dispatches two shape-shifting bounty hunters, Ug and Lee, to recapture them.

Arrival in Grover’s Bend

The Critters crash-land near the small, rural town of Grover’s Bend, Kansas, specifically targeting the Brown family farm. The Brown family—Jay, Helen, Brad, and April—soon find themselves terrorized by the ravenous creatures. The Critters cut off the phone lines and electricity, isolating the family in their farmhouse.

The Bounty Hunters’ Mayhem

Ug and Lee, the shape-shifting bounty hunters, arrive on Earth and begin their pursuit of the Critters. Ug takes the form of rock star Johnny Steele, while Lee struggles to find a suitable form. Their methods are destructive, causing significant collateral damage in the town as they hunt the Critters, much to the dismay of Sheriff Harv.

Confrontation at the Farmhouse

The Brown family, with the help of the town drunk, Charlie McFadden, fight back against the Critters. Brad uses his knowledge of explosives to combat the creatures. The bounty hunters eventually arrive at the farm, leading to a final showdown with the remaining Critters.

⚠️ Spoilers and Ending Explained

🎬 Cast & Characters

• Jay Brown (Billy Green Bush): The Brown family’s patriarch, a farmer who must protect his family from the Critters.
• Helen Brown (Dee Wallace): The resourceful mother of the Brown family who fights to protect her children from the Critters.
• Brad Brown (Scott Grimes): The teenage son of the Brown family who uses his wits and pyrotechnic skills to combat the Critters.
• Charlie McFadden (Don Keith Opper): The town drunk who initially warns everyone about the alien presence and later aids in fighting the Critters.
• Ug (Terrence Mann): One of the shape-shifting intergalactic bounty hunters sent to Earth to eliminate the Critters.
• Harv (M. Emmet Walsh): The skeptical local sheriff who slowly comes to believe the threat posed by the Critters.

💬 Memorable Quotes

• Critter 1: “They have weapons!” – A Critter warns about the humans having weapons just before another Critter is shot.
• Critter 2: “So what.” – The Critter replies dismissively before being immediately shot, highlighting the Critters’ overconfidence.
• Critter 1: “Fuck!” – Critter 1 exclaims this after Critter 2 gets shot, adding unexpected humor.
• Charlie McFadden: “They’re here! I told you they’re here!” – Charlie says this when the Critters arrive, fulfilling his often ignored warnings about extraterrestrial threats.

💰Box Office

• Budget: $2,000,000
• Domestic Gross: $13,167,232
• Worldwide Gross: $13,167,232

💥 Critters Reviews

Personal Review

Okay, so I first saw Critters when I was way too young, and those little guys were terrifying! Now, watching it as an adult, it’s hilarious! The bounty hunters stealing the show with their terrible attempts at fitting in, and those critters with their surprisingly foul mouths. It’s a fun, cheesy ride that I’ll always enjoy. Highly recommended for a fun movie night!

• Who would enjoy:
  • “Fans of 1980s horror-comedy films”
  • “Viewers who enjoy creature features”
  • “Those who appreciate practical effects and cheesy humor”
  • “Audiences looking for a light-hearted sci-fi adventure”
• Content warnings ⚠:
  • “Mild horror violence”
  • “Creature attacks”
  • “Some language”
  • “Brief scenes of peril”

Professional Reviews

• IMDb: “Critters is an amusing knock-off to ‘Gremlins’ but done extremely well, despite it’s low budget. Directed by Stephen Herek 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. Worth seeing. Followed by Three Sequels.
• IMDb: “Critters is a fun sci-fi spoof about a Kansas family who finds themselves under attack from small fur balls that can shoot out poisonous darts and have an appetite for flesh. There’s no question that this film was made for a rather small budget but I think it’s a perfect example of how the genre can be done right without having to spend a lot of cash on special effects.
• IMDb: “A lethal gaggle of vicious and voracious alien furballs known as Crites escape from a prison planet in outer space and go to Earth on a stolen ship. The mean little buggers land in the sleepy small country town of Grovers Bend and proceed to terrorize the Brown family.

Audience Reactions

The practical effects and the design of the Critters were amazing for their time.: Many fans loved the cheesy humor and the creative creature design.

The shape-shifting bounty hunters were hilarious and added a lot of charm to the movie.: Viewers appreciated the unique and funny bounty hunter characters.

Overall Consensus: Critters is a cheesy, fun, and entertaining sci-fi horror comedy that’s beloved for its practical effects, creative creature design, and the hilarious antics of the bounty hunters.

Awards

🛠️ Behind the Scenes

• “Corey Burton, who voiced the Critters, also created their language, combining elements of French and Japanese.”
• “The Critters’ design was inspired by tribbles from Star Trek and were brought to life by the Chiodo Brothers, known for their work on Killer Klowns from Outer Space.”
• “Critters was initially conceived as a darker, more serious horror film, but the director and writers shifted towards a more comedic tone during production.”

🖥️ How to Watch Critters?

Critters is available for rent or purchase on various platforms including Amazon Prime Video, Apple TV, and Vudu. Check local listings for possible broadcast schedules. Physical copies (DVD/Blu-ray) are also available for purchase online and in stores.

🎥 Similar Movies

If you enjoyed Critters, you might like these similar films:

• Gremlins (1984): A direct comparison featuring small, destructive creatures terrorizing a town with a blend of horror and comedy.
• Ghoulies (1984): Another 80s creature feature involving small monsters causing mayhem, appealing to fans of practical effects and dark humor.
• Tremors (1990): Features a small town battling monstrous creatures, blending horror, comedy, and action with a memorable cast.
• Attack the Block (2011): A modern equivalent where a group of teens defends their neighborhood against alien invaders, offering a similar mix of horror and comedy.

🛒 Critters Related Products

• Critters: The Complete Collection [Blu-ray]: Relive the horror and humor with the complete Critters saga in high-definition. A must-have for collectors and fans of ’80s creature features.
• Critters Movie Poster: Showcase your love for the classic Critters movie with a high-quality reproduction poster. Perfect for decorating your home theater or adding to your horror memorabilia collection.
• Critters Plush Toy: The fuzzballs that are the Critters, now made of plush, and much less dangerous.
• Critters T-Shirt: Wear your love for the classic Critters movie with a stylish t-shirt featuring iconic imagery from the film. Available in various sizes and designs.

🎧 Soundtrack

Critters features a captivating soundtrack that enhances the movie’s atmosphere and emotional impact. Here are some notable tracks:

• “Power of the Night” – performed by Terrence Mann

You can find the complete soundtrack on Amazon Music and Apple Music.

🤨 FAQ

🔥 Bonus Content

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Species Movie’s Tentacled Creatures Explained – H.R Giger’s Bio-Tentacled Monstrosity!

Want to know more about the genetically modified alien in ‘Species’? This video goes in depth on the alien’s traits and evolution. I was surprised at just how complex the movie made a simple alien!

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