Hey gang, Valkor here. Man, the last couple of films to pass my
way really pushed the boundaries of my patience. I mean Dead
Mine was OK, but Sick
Boy was UGH! So I was a tad worried when this next film –
Grabbers, passed my way. Grabbers plays upon the stereotype that
the Irish love to drink. So can the power of the drink, save the
world? Let's find out. Oh and mild spoilers ahead.
Grabbers starts out with a meteor landing in the waters off the coast of an island near the country of Ireland. This meteor contains a hideous creature that thrives in water and instantly begins attacking the locals, all the while laying its eggs. It's now up to a handful of locals – O'Shea (Richard Coyle), Lisa (Ruth Bradley), Smith (Russell Tovey – Being Human), and Paddy (Lalor Roddy) to try and find a way to stop these Grabbers (given the name by Paddy) before they wipe out everyone on the island. After running some test, they discover that the creatures die if they drink the blood of anyone who's BAC (Blood Alcohol Content) is .2 or higher. So to save the town, they'll need to get everyone drunk in order to survive.
Grabbers sounds kinda dark and for the most part it is, however there's a mix of comedy to keep things balanced. The concept isn't original (aliens invading a small town), but how the resolve the problem is definitely unique. But ultimately does it work? Absolutely and I'll tell you why in the TOV Breakdown.
The Good:
Grabbers is whimsical, gory, slightly romantic and fun all at the same time. Going in, I expected the worst and I was pleasantly surprised when I found myself chuckling all the way through, with a few moments of cringing (in a good, cheap horror way). The plot itself is pretty straightforward and the twist – that everyone has to be drunk in order to survive, is quite amusing and thankfully not over the top. The locale used for filming this feature is stunning and the CG on the monsters looks pretty good and it'll definitely make your skin crawl. As for the jokes, they're usually on the money; it's a plus if you're into british humor and even if you're not the visual gags will certainly get to you. But what really places the film just above "B" level is the acting, which is top-notch all around. But I had loads of laughs with Richard Coyle (of Coupling fame), who plays drunken O'Shea. Combined with acting prowess of Ruth Bradley as Lisa, the two make a great pair and have great chemistry together. Mixing them up with Russell Tovey and Lalor Roddy, I can see myself watching a sequel of this film with this quartet. But breakout star for me goes to the adorable Bronagh Gallagher as salty barmaid Una; she is just too cute for words and so damn funny, a definite scene stealer whenever she's on screen. In the end, Grabbers was just what the doctor ordered to chase away the bad film blues I've been going through lately.
The Bad:
N/A
The Ugly:
The mother Grabber and why does it spit the heads back out of the person it eats??
If you're interested in Grabbers, and you should be, you'll have to seek this one out as it's not yet available in the states. But you can't go wrong with importing as the perfect blend of comedy and horror that's overall very entertaining. So out of TOV 5 stars, I'm giving Grabbers a 4.5. Cheers!
