Fantasia 2019 review: CRITTERS ATTACK! is total 80s throwback fun

For whatever reason, 2019 has seen two different Critters projects brought into the world, nearly two decades after the release of the last film in the franchise, the straight-to-video Critters 4. The much-maligned Critters: A New Binge series debuted on the Shudder streaming service back in March, and now comes Critters Attack!, a full-length film that attempts to reinvigorate the long-dormant franchise for a new generation.

The plot here is pretty threadbare: a pair of spaceships crash on Earth, depositing a number of Critters, furry basketball-shaped creatures with a hankering for human flesh. The ships catch the attention of young Phillip (Jaeden Noel), who lives with his older sister Drea (Tashiana Washington) and their uncle following the death of their mother. Soon after, Drea is babysitting one afternoon when one of the kids discovers a mysterious white furry creature in the park and brings it back home. Meanwhile, the hordes of killer Critters are rolling through town, chomping down on any humans unlikely enough to get in their way.

Written by longtime comics scribe Scott Lobdell (who was also responsible for the fun Happy Death Day) and directed by Bobby Miller, Critters Attack! is a silly and gory good time. The practical effects are top-notch, from the design of the creatures to the buckets of green slime that often erupt on-screen like an outtake from You Can’t Do That On Television (another 80s property). The thumping electronic score by Russ Howard III fits the throwback vibe perfectly, and even the somewhat stilted acting seems appropriate for the era (though one has to assume that wasn’t intentional).

The teen drama angle is diverting enough between attacks from the rolling, killer furballs, but you don’t really come to a Critters film for the emotional stakes — thankfully, MIller knows when to unleash the mayhem to maximum effect, and the attacks keep getting progressively crazier throughout the film, which even includes a cameo from the great Dee Wallace (returning to the franchise after starring in the original 1986 Critters) as a gun-toting alien bounty hunter.

Critters Attack! is a ridiculous, self-aware bit of horror fun that never takes itself very seriously. It delivers the gory monster attacks we’ve all come for, and the use of tactile practical effects really contributes to the film’s strong 80s aesthetic. Fans of the original series can rest assured that this seems to have been made with a true love of the franchise, and the film’s streamlined plot makes it accessible for new audiences, especially with the strong Stranger Things overtones. It might not be perfect, but Critters Attack! is one of the better horror sequels to come rolling by in some time.

Critters Attack! lands on Blu-ray, DVD and VOD on July 23.