5 Creature Features (In Honor of this week's 'Crawl')

The new killer gator flick 'Crawl' is out this weekend, so I thought to add this extra little piece with my review (HERE) talking about some other creature features you can binge watch before or after. Here are 5 of my favorite creature feature horror films.

'Lake Placid' was sadly overlooked back in 1999 but has now amassed a huge fanbase with five sequels and even a spinoff with the 'Anaconda' series. But, it's the original movie that you're gonna want to go for as it displays the perfect amount of cheesy moments while benefiting from a large budget and the effects of Stan Winston. The movie is also freakin' hilarious, with special mention going to Betty White as a foul mouthed cranky old timer causing problems for the main crew. Director Steve Miner is no stranger to the horror genre and he balances the humor and horror very well here. If you haven't seen 'Lake Placid' for a while or at all, I highly recommend picking up the recent Shout! Factory blu-ray, grab some beers and have you and your friends gather round and enjoy this shlocky bit of goodness.

'Crawl' was in fact not the first time director Alexandre Aja has delved into the killer animals subgenre and his 2010 3D remake of Joe Dante's 'Piranha' is a wild over-the-top gorefest that plays up it's B-Movie tropes to an almost ridiculous level the original wouldn't even have attempted. Granted, the more exploitative elements can become a bit offensive (and would completely cross the line come the sequel) but the film is having so much fun constantly reminding you of it's silliness that it's hard to hate on a movie this stupidly fun. Not Aja's best film by any stretch, but if you're looking for a bloody good time, check out 'Piranha 3D' and the original as well.

'Bait' has a very similar premise to 'Crawl' just swapping out alligators for sharks and a house for a grocery store, but there's plenty here to keep you entertained. Like 'Piranha' this film was shot with 3D in mind and goes all out with it creating some of the funniest moments I've seen in a movie. Killing a shark with a taser gun? Sure why not!? 'Bait' and really most the films on this list certainly know their audience and thankfully most films know they'll never top 'Jaws' so why not just make it a fun ride?

Well, I'd have to put a more serious one on here eventually right? 'Black Water' was a film I came by thanks to many a horror website, forum etc. and lucky me I found it for four bucks with a bundle and I just have to wonder...why is this treated like a bargain bin movie when it's very tense, well made, and actually scary in some moments? I suppose life is unfair like that sometimes, but back to the movie..'Black Water's best elements are in its simplicity: a group of folks trapped in the trees by crocodiles below. That's it and really that's all you need because someone who knows what their doing, casts the right actors and gets the best crew can make simple B-Movie stuff into some genuinely great material. Now I'm not going to say this is another 'Jaws' or anything but it is taking nothing and making something like it and I just wish I knew about this one earlier.

'Rogue' from the director of 'Wolf Creek' is yet another film that seemed to fly past the general audience and even today it's not really talked about too much. This one is a real nasty piece of work too with a very mean spirited and dark feel to it you don't see in creature films very often. The film feels like 'Wolf Creek' or something like 'The Ghost & The Darkness' where nothing is over the top but very grounded and brutal in its execution. If you haven't seen 'Rogue' it's always on the cheap at Amazon but make sure you pick up that unrated cut for the full experience.

For those who read my review on this one back in the day, you'll remember how surprised I was with 'The Shallows'. It was a well paced, well acted, and genuinely tense experience that of course not many went to see. It seemed like the film '47 Meters Down' which arrived soon after was trying way too hard to be the kind of movie that this one is. When you actually want to take the material seriously you really need to make sure the characters above all is well made and this is what makes 'The Shallows' shine. Blake Lively's character was very likeable and you really wanted to see her get out of this situation. She also shows her abilities and intelligence well without cramming it down our throats. This is the one film on the list that you'd likely call dull in comparison, but I recommend checking it out if you're tired of the faster over the top films above.



What are some of your favorite creature features? Let me know below and I'll see you all next time.

SPECIAL THANKS TO: 22 Shotz of Moodz Podcast for informing me on 'Black Water'. Cinemassacre/James Rolfe for suggesting 'Bait 3D'

Crawl (2019)

It's been a while since we've heard from director Alexandre Aja, a man whom many consider a pioneer of the "French Extreme" subgenre during the early to mid 2000s. While it's no secret that many of his films have been hit or miss since his debut 'High Tension I always felt Aja's filmography was good on average. And then...he seemed to vanish with a small project here and there until today where we have his newest horror flick 'Crawl'. We also have Sam Raimi of 'Evil Dead' fame on board as an executive producer so going into this movie it's pretty hard not to set a kind of standard with this level of talent. I'm happy to say that horror fans will mostly be pleased with this modern creature feature that knows exactly what it is and plays its part well while thoroughly entertaining its audience.

A young woman attempts to find her estranged father and evacuate before a strong hurricane reaches the area. Once she finds him, they both become trapped by the raging storm and a seemingly endless supply of hungry alligators surrounding every corner. That's it for plot really, but a story can be simple if done well and here I feel it's done that. The usual tropes of jump scares and stupid decisions are present & the daughter resenting her father until they become closer at the climax is all pretty standard but the actor's performances do significantly improve what could've easily been a bland survival story between a parent and their child. Even though I did say jump scares were present, the film also presents some genuine tension throughout and every now and then sets up genuinely surprising and earned scares too. I also loved seeing practical gore effects which does make up somewhat for the slightly cheap looking CGI gators. For a mainstream film it's pretty brutal the way these animals take people out and the wounds inflicted on our protagonists are very realistic so kudos for the excellent effects team.

The biggest issue I feel with 'Crawl' is some elements seem to be in place to pad the movie out to what is already a pretty short film. While it's always nice for horror fans to see some well done gore and animal special effects, some scenes feel as if they were put in at the last minute to crank up the body count or as I said padding. The film at one point also sets up a scenario that would explain why such a sheer amount of these gators are around or even a sequel I'm assuming but it goes nowhere. And as always no spoilers but the film ends abruptly which feels wrong as if something else was supposed to happen but bam! Roll credits. It's also kind of a drawback that I'll likely forget this film quickly but you kind of expect that when it comes to what I refer to as a "Junk Food" movie. Fun and good while it lasts but then you go on with your day. Overall, I wouldn't say this is the big comeback movie for Aja but it is an improvement over something like 'Mirrors' or 'Horns'. It's a fun way to spend a Saturday afternoon with some friends. Just don't expect a masterpiece of horror or anything.

C+

Midsommar (2019)

I thoroughly enjoyed last year's film 'Hereditary' from director Ari Aster. It was a surreal nightmare with many layers hiding both underneath and sometimes in plain sight. This year comes his next film 'Midsommar' a visually stunning slow burn with wonderful direction, creepy atmosphere and unsettling nature. Though the film does come with severe flaws that keep it from topping his last entry but overall it's certainly on par. The film's story concerns Dani (Florence Pugh) who suffers a great tragedy after which her boyfriend and his buddies invite her to a festival in Sweden. Once the group arrives, they are warmly greeted by a small commune of happy folks who seem to be hiding a sinister secret.

If you folks have seen the 1973 film 'The Wicker Man' (or know of the unfortunate remake thanks to internet culture) then you will likely feel that the story of 'Midsommar' is a tad familiar. The film takes much inspiration from that film but they also have used the higher qualities of it here as well. The commune never once acts in a overtly evil manner with constant scowling at the outsiders like so many cliche cult films tend to do. Rather the tension comes from just how warm, happy, and overall nice these people are to the group (until that final act of course). This choice of direction along with the beautiful cinematography and set designs makes one feel that they are truly in another world entirely and it's by far the film's biggest strength.

The visual effects are also very impressive but blink and you may not notice them at all the first time you view it. Subtle changes happen in the background, foreground, and even to various props & costumes. It becomes fun to find these 'Where's Waldo' moments and really shows off the imagination Ari Aster has. For those looking for the gruesome moments, 'Midsommar' contains some strong moments of brutality and bizarre sexuality that I won't spoil here but needless to say you won't forget these moments once you see them for yourself.

The film's themes I feel are a bit easier to understand than 'Hereditary' for better and worse. Issues of how one deals with grief, picking up the pieces, and starting a new life clean of all the things that were keeping you down are essentially the film's three act structure making for a more coherent film. At times however, this can become a bit pretentious or too on the nose which can give mixed signals to the audience. The film's biggest flaw by far is sadly our main players who feel like they belong in an Eli Roth film. They're completely unlikable, whiny, disrespectful, and overall unpleasant and yes I understand that some are supposed to be this way but even our protagonist displays these traits, which makes it harder to be invested in their progression.

The film is also a bit too long, running in at almost three hours which is pretty insane for a horror movie these days. The first act really slogs and those moments of characters being total assholes are on full display for the majority of this portion. Some trimming here and there could work wonders here. While the movie doesn't really have that same slap in the face shock value of 'Hereditary' and the characters and running time become an issue throughout, 'Midsommar' is another great entry from Ari Aster overall. This guy is going to go far in the horror industry even if his films generally don't appeal to everyone. Divisive films make for much better conversation in my opinion and this one will get you and your friends talking once you leave the cineplex. Check it out.

8/10