78 reviews
Critters 2 both improves and falls short of the original. Though it gives the writers more freedom in imagination and the cute, little killer furballs and various ways to cause havoc it simply cannot escape the 'been there done that' factor that cripples most sequels.
Set 2 years after the first film, the people of Grover's Bend are shocked when Brad Brown comes home to visit his grandma. He was branded a liar and hoaxer and apparently no one believed his stories of the Krites and extra-terrestrial bounty hunters. Which is a little harsh considering they had several eaten humans and dead Krites as proof. And as soon as he returns, the Krite eggs seen at the very end of the first film begin to hatch and the feeding frenzy begins all over again on a bigger scale.
There's fun to be had in watching the critters go mental all over town. And the film could have been a four-starrer but there's a major lull at the end of the second act in which nothing happens and it really slows down. But the massive furball at the end is brilliant.
They really should have left the Critters movies after this and I wouldn't bother with 3 and 4. They're rubbish. Still the Krites are cute (I don't care what you say) and Brad's girlfriend is gorgeous too.
The DVD is in great looking 1.85:1 anamorphic widescreen with Dolby 5.1 sound. Some trailers are included.
Set 2 years after the first film, the people of Grover's Bend are shocked when Brad Brown comes home to visit his grandma. He was branded a liar and hoaxer and apparently no one believed his stories of the Krites and extra-terrestrial bounty hunters. Which is a little harsh considering they had several eaten humans and dead Krites as proof. And as soon as he returns, the Krite eggs seen at the very end of the first film begin to hatch and the feeding frenzy begins all over again on a bigger scale.
There's fun to be had in watching the critters go mental all over town. And the film could have been a four-starrer but there's a major lull at the end of the second act in which nothing happens and it really slows down. But the massive furball at the end is brilliant.
They really should have left the Critters movies after this and I wouldn't bother with 3 and 4. They're rubbish. Still the Krites are cute (I don't care what you say) and Brad's girlfriend is gorgeous too.
The DVD is in great looking 1.85:1 anamorphic widescreen with Dolby 5.1 sound. Some trailers are included.
- CuriosityKilledShawn
- Mar 4, 2005
- Permalink
Don't really understand why this movie is rated so much worse than the 1986 first movie. In all honesty I think this movie is even a tad bit better than the first one.
The Critters-movies never were any great ones but then again, they also never pretended that they were. The simply do deliver some campy fun and simple entertainment. It's true that perhaps it's a bit of a rip-off of the Gremlins movies but as far as these similar type of movies go, this is really not a bad attempt.
This movie is a real sequel, meaning that the story picks up were the last one had ended and the movie also stars some of the same actors in their roles. This time they gave the still young Scott Grimes some more space, being the only member of the original family in this movie, this time. Seems kind of right for these type of movies to have a young teenager in the main lead. It sort of keeps things always light, simple and pleasant to watch.
The effects had also obviously improved this time. Not only do the Critters look better but also all of the other visual effects for the movie. After all, this movie is above all things still a science-fiction movie. This did not only had to do with the improved techniques at the time but also with its budget, that was more than two times higher this time but still fairly low though for a movie within its genre.
There is not much to the story or anything else really but it simply is an entertaining movie to watch.
6/10
http://bobafett1138.blogspot.com/
The Critters-movies never were any great ones but then again, they also never pretended that they were. The simply do deliver some campy fun and simple entertainment. It's true that perhaps it's a bit of a rip-off of the Gremlins movies but as far as these similar type of movies go, this is really not a bad attempt.
This movie is a real sequel, meaning that the story picks up were the last one had ended and the movie also stars some of the same actors in their roles. This time they gave the still young Scott Grimes some more space, being the only member of the original family in this movie, this time. Seems kind of right for these type of movies to have a young teenager in the main lead. It sort of keeps things always light, simple and pleasant to watch.
The effects had also obviously improved this time. Not only do the Critters look better but also all of the other visual effects for the movie. After all, this movie is above all things still a science-fiction movie. This did not only had to do with the improved techniques at the time but also with its budget, that was more than two times higher this time but still fairly low though for a movie within its genre.
There is not much to the story or anything else really but it simply is an entertaining movie to watch.
6/10
http://bobafett1138.blogspot.com/
- Boba_Fett1138
- Dec 31, 2009
- Permalink
Critters 2 is a solid sequel. It's not as good as the original but only by a smidge. Mick Garris (Sleepwalkers) got his feet wet with this horror sequel and like any good sequel should do it expands the mythology and introduces us to some new elements. Although it's not as scary as the first this one is way funnier. And by focusing more on the humor it looses just a bit of luster. Our ginger hero from the original returns to his hometown to visit his grandmother for Easter and the leftover eggs hatch. Suddenly the little horrors attack the town and the bounty hunters return this time with Charlie and a new addition Leigh who continuously takes new forms but spends most of it's time as a playmate centerfold. But the problem gets way bigger as there numbers increase and a mega critter ball is formed. The movie is so fun with insane practical effects and a crazy, playful vibe due to Garris's confident and creative direction. All in all a wild ride.
Budget: $4m Box Office: $3.8m
3.75/5
Budget: $4m Box Office: $3.8m
3.75/5
- rivertam26
- May 6, 2020
- Permalink
The Critters series consists of two first movies which are worth watching, and two last which are definitely _not_. Critters 2: The Main Course is certainly better as far as special effects go, but I'll be sentenced to eternal damnation if I know which one is better.
The action is still very lively, with necessary thrills and frills; the bounty hunters are back (you know Critters 3 failed because Ug&Lee were painfully absent and Charlie decked out); there's your average amount of mild gore and explosions. Brad seems to be blander than in the original, but his grandmother makes up for that.
The disadvantages of the film are pretty much few and far between. There's the usual mound of logical errors. The number of Crite eggs in the beginning is circa 12-20, mysteriously grows into some 50 when Brad's grandma purchases them, then, lo-and-behold, there's about a THOUSAND Crites in that giant rolling ball..... erm, on the cover that is. Charlie, however wearing state-of-the-art (no joke, I want one) leather space armor, HASN'T GOT A GUN. What's he supposed to do, choke the Critters with his flesh? Nobody ever thinks what species the [alien] eggs might belong to. Charlie and Brad are kinda overardorous over their meeting, since they barely knew each other in the original. And so on, and so forth. I'm not mentioning all, take a paper and pen and have some fun while watching.
Despite all this, I say this is a good choice for some people. I've read wayyyy too many coments in the style of "ohhh, this is SUCH crap I don't know why I've seen it...". Well, why did you? This is not a film that tries to be deep, this is pure entertainment for the youth, for the die-hard sf fans, and for the braindead. I liked it as a kid, I still like it (20 this June), and will show it to my kids for fun and enjoyment.
OVERALL ADVICE: you're a kid, you've got some spare time on your hands, watch it and have fun.
The action is still very lively, with necessary thrills and frills; the bounty hunters are back (you know Critters 3 failed because Ug&Lee were painfully absent and Charlie decked out); there's your average amount of mild gore and explosions. Brad seems to be blander than in the original, but his grandmother makes up for that.
The disadvantages of the film are pretty much few and far between. There's the usual mound of logical errors. The number of Crite eggs in the beginning is circa 12-20, mysteriously grows into some 50 when Brad's grandma purchases them, then, lo-and-behold, there's about a THOUSAND Crites in that giant rolling ball..... erm, on the cover that is. Charlie, however wearing state-of-the-art (no joke, I want one) leather space armor, HASN'T GOT A GUN. What's he supposed to do, choke the Critters with his flesh? Nobody ever thinks what species the [alien] eggs might belong to. Charlie and Brad are kinda overardorous over their meeting, since they barely knew each other in the original. And so on, and so forth. I'm not mentioning all, take a paper and pen and have some fun while watching.
Despite all this, I say this is a good choice for some people. I've read wayyyy too many coments in the style of "ohhh, this is SUCH crap I don't know why I've seen it...". Well, why did you? This is not a film that tries to be deep, this is pure entertainment for the youth, for the die-hard sf fans, and for the braindead. I liked it as a kid, I still like it (20 this June), and will show it to my kids for fun and enjoyment.
OVERALL ADVICE: you're a kid, you've got some spare time on your hands, watch it and have fun.
This movie start of in space, with the Bounty Hunters and Charile from 1st movie, who is now Bounty Hunter, are told they need to go back to Earth.
Brad as also return to his hometown and he goes to his old house, that is now nursery, run by his Grandma.
Meanwhile a teenager as found some weired looking eggs and give them to this man, who them sell them in his shop, Some people, think these eggs are easter eggs, so they end up being all over the place, before that hatch the critters are back again.
This time the whole town have come together, to get rid of these Aliens,
This movie is not as good as the first movie, it's as lot more jokes, which makes this movie more funny then the first and it a lot more bloody moments , there are not gory moments.
If you liked the first movie, you should also enjoy this movie as well.
The acting it not great but it's what you normal get with B-Movies, like this.
Brad as also return to his hometown and he goes to his old house, that is now nursery, run by his Grandma.
Meanwhile a teenager as found some weired looking eggs and give them to this man, who them sell them in his shop, Some people, think these eggs are easter eggs, so they end up being all over the place, before that hatch the critters are back again.
This time the whole town have come together, to get rid of these Aliens,
This movie is not as good as the first movie, it's as lot more jokes, which makes this movie more funny then the first and it a lot more bloody moments , there are not gory moments.
If you liked the first movie, you should also enjoy this movie as well.
The acting it not great but it's what you normal get with B-Movies, like this.
Much better than the subsequent films, but not nearly as good as the first. Settings, characters, nudity, and other important basics are pretty much the same as the surprisingly-good original. The movie? Well those furry devils aren't all gone and we get to see the main characters a few years later. Of course looking at it as an adult now I can saw the timeline wasn't very good - not enough time passed for the age of the characters involved or all that the back story claimed happened.
"Critters 2", however, drives the point home just in case you couldn't figure it out. The Critters now have more scenes involving "mischief" as they tear up restaurants in all sorts of silly ways, accompanied by sight gags, slapstick and plenty of cartoon sound effects. The Critters also develop the ability to speak broken English, too, only adding to their status as Gremlins clones. While "Critters" was far from a serious horror film, Critters 2 starts the series down a more humorous path that a lot of fans didn't exactly cotton to.
Overall rating: 6 out of 10.
"Critters 2", however, drives the point home just in case you couldn't figure it out. The Critters now have more scenes involving "mischief" as they tear up restaurants in all sorts of silly ways, accompanied by sight gags, slapstick and plenty of cartoon sound effects. The Critters also develop the ability to speak broken English, too, only adding to their status as Gremlins clones. While "Critters" was far from a serious horror film, Critters 2 starts the series down a more humorous path that a lot of fans didn't exactly cotton to.
Overall rating: 6 out of 10.
- PredragReviews
- Feb 21, 2017
- Permalink
The first Critters (1986) movie was one of the best in an abundance of Gremlins rip-off's to come out following the release of Joe Dante's classic in 1984. It was amusing, entertaining, satisfyingly bloody and whizzed by in a fast-paced 90 minute running time. The titular Critters or, to give them their proper name, Crites, were also a memorable creation - tiny balls of fur with nasty teeth and the ability to shoot poisoned darts from their back. They are cuddly enough to be oddly cute but with a face only a mother could love. The surprisingly modest box-office takings established Critters as a franchise, and the sequel arrived just two years later.
Unsurprisingly, Critters 2 is little more than a re-hash of the first movie, with the terrorising creatures attacking the same town again and coming up against their arch-nemesis Brad (Scott Grimes), who apparently had his ear pieced and grew a mullet between films. Brad's celebrity status in the town catches the eye of the slight- older Megan (Liane Curtis), but Brad just wants his friend Charlie (Don Keith Opper) back. Still teamed up with bounty hunter Ug (Terrence Mann) somewhere in space, Charlie's spaceship detects Crite activity back on Earth, and so they return to destroy them. Soon enough, the Crites have bred beyond count and are munching on everything in sight.
The biggest disappointment with Critters 2 is the sheer lack of imagination. The first movie had enough wit and self-awareness to create something bolder, the like of which was done in Gremlins 2: The New Batch (1990) and its bat-s**t crazy, anything-goes climax. The creatures too, are easily propped behind a variety of counters so their puppeteers can operate them with ease, while the first movie at least demonstrated some creative puppet work. The humour is goofier and more obvious, and the climactic set-piece involving a giant ball of combined critters attacking a garage packed with fast- food, just fails to hit the mark. It's certainly an easy watch, but there's little here to excite.
Unsurprisingly, Critters 2 is little more than a re-hash of the first movie, with the terrorising creatures attacking the same town again and coming up against their arch-nemesis Brad (Scott Grimes), who apparently had his ear pieced and grew a mullet between films. Brad's celebrity status in the town catches the eye of the slight- older Megan (Liane Curtis), but Brad just wants his friend Charlie (Don Keith Opper) back. Still teamed up with bounty hunter Ug (Terrence Mann) somewhere in space, Charlie's spaceship detects Crite activity back on Earth, and so they return to destroy them. Soon enough, the Crites have bred beyond count and are munching on everything in sight.
The biggest disappointment with Critters 2 is the sheer lack of imagination. The first movie had enough wit and self-awareness to create something bolder, the like of which was done in Gremlins 2: The New Batch (1990) and its bat-s**t crazy, anything-goes climax. The creatures too, are easily propped behind a variety of counters so their puppeteers can operate them with ease, while the first movie at least demonstrated some creative puppet work. The humour is goofier and more obvious, and the climactic set-piece involving a giant ball of combined critters attacking a garage packed with fast- food, just fails to hit the mark. It's certainly an easy watch, but there's little here to excite.
- tomgillespie2002
- Nov 3, 2015
- Permalink
Yes the first one was a bit better, but I liked this sequel. The story is nothing new as there are some critter eggs to be found, and apparently get mixed up with some easter eggs so you get killer easter eggs and a scene of the easter bunny being eaten...yikes!!! Then again easter is used so infrequently as a backdrop for a movie so this is a nice little inclusion. The bounty hunters from the first one are on their way back along with Charlie who I have no clue why he is now with the bounty hunters. Follows the same pattern as the first one though on a bit of a larger scale as there are a lot more critters now than in the first one. I do enjoy the one bounty hunter turning into a centerfold model, and there are also many deaths to enjoy as well. The highlight though comes at the end of the movie as the remaining critters gather together and form one lethal ball of fuzz. This is far from being a masterpiece of horror, still it has some good kills some humor and it goes by rather quickly.
After a relatively satisfying first movie, this movie had everything to jumpstart the franchise. However, after seeing it, I think that not everything went well, there are many problems, it is a film clearly made to earn money effectively. Even so, it managed to maintain the level of the initial film and give us an interesting and fun sequence, even though the freshness of the first film is lacking, and the comic situations are rarer and less well conceived (my highlight being the pitiful scene with the Easter Bunny, with less fun than a bachelor great-uncle joke during Christmas Eve).
In this film, Brad Brown returns to the quiet village where, a few years earlier, he faced an invasion of carnivorous creatures that nearly killed his family. Now, however, he is a very bizarre celebrity, and most people regard him as a liar or a nutcase who wanted to catch the eye with a fanciful story. However, he will be quickly avenged when new creatures appear, from a lot of eggs left untouched which will inadvertently be used by the parish for the Easter festivities. The stage is set for another movie where these creatures will threaten the lives of all those who come across them.
The cast retains the participation of Scott Grimes, who is the protagonist here. The actor fulfilled his role very well and gives us a solid performance. Barry Corbin is also back and maintains the level of the first film. Terrence Mann brings to life the sidereal bounty hunter who comes to help humans to fight those ravening creatures. Unfortunately, he doesn't seem as committed as he did in the first film. Don Keith Oper does relatively well with a bizarre character, in which the actor works hard and manages to imprint his own captivating charisma. Liane Curtis is less happy in her effort, with a lukewarm performance.
On a technical level, the film is quite uninteresting. I start by notifying you for some nude content, not suitable for a family movie and which may be inadvisable for minors. Once this warning has been made, we can retain our gaze on the halfhearted cinematography, with faded colors, without limpidity. The best technical aspect turns out to be the visual and special effects, as well as the creatures, which are fun and have a very well-imagined look. The sets and costumes fulfill their role without major demerits, in opposition to a cheap soundtrack and sound effects, which really leave a lot to be desired.
In this film, Brad Brown returns to the quiet village where, a few years earlier, he faced an invasion of carnivorous creatures that nearly killed his family. Now, however, he is a very bizarre celebrity, and most people regard him as a liar or a nutcase who wanted to catch the eye with a fanciful story. However, he will be quickly avenged when new creatures appear, from a lot of eggs left untouched which will inadvertently be used by the parish for the Easter festivities. The stage is set for another movie where these creatures will threaten the lives of all those who come across them.
The cast retains the participation of Scott Grimes, who is the protagonist here. The actor fulfilled his role very well and gives us a solid performance. Barry Corbin is also back and maintains the level of the first film. Terrence Mann brings to life the sidereal bounty hunter who comes to help humans to fight those ravening creatures. Unfortunately, he doesn't seem as committed as he did in the first film. Don Keith Oper does relatively well with a bizarre character, in which the actor works hard and manages to imprint his own captivating charisma. Liane Curtis is less happy in her effort, with a lukewarm performance.
On a technical level, the film is quite uninteresting. I start by notifying you for some nude content, not suitable for a family movie and which may be inadvisable for minors. Once this warning has been made, we can retain our gaze on the halfhearted cinematography, with faded colors, without limpidity. The best technical aspect turns out to be the visual and special effects, as well as the creatures, which are fun and have a very well-imagined look. The sets and costumes fulfill their role without major demerits, in opposition to a cheap soundtrack and sound effects, which really leave a lot to be desired.
- filipemanuelneto
- Nov 27, 2021
- Permalink
- kandrakole
- May 24, 2013
- Permalink
- martyshoemark
- Apr 18, 2012
- Permalink
Two years after the first Krite attack on the Browns's farm, everything was peaceful in Grover's Bend but there are some remaining Krite Eggs still left and Brad Brown ( Scott Grimes) has traveled from Kansas City to visit his grandmother for Easter vacation. Soon the Eggs hatch as it makes trouble as the Krites has returned and the bounty hunters from space Ug ( Terrence Mann), Lee ( Roxanne Kernohan) and former town drunk turned bounty hunter Charlie ( Don Opper) head back to Earth, will they rescue the humans with the help of Brad or will everyone end up on the space monsters's menu?
Very entertaining and action packed sequel that is almost better than the original and THE only sequel in the series worth watching. What works here for this sequel is there's more action, bigger special effects, off-the-wall humor, a more intense and dramatic score, Mick Garris's directorial debut and of course there's a memorable moment where Lee the faceless bounty hunter from space looks at a Playboy magazine and transforms into a beautiful nude blonde centerfold babe played by B-movie beauty Roxanne Kernohan. Look for Eddie Deezen ( best known for Mandark on "Dexter's Lab" and Eugene from "Grease") as a restaurant manager and there's an amusing Freddy Krueger in-joke since the movie is from Freddy's home known as New Line Cinema.
Very entertaining and action packed sequel that is almost better than the original and THE only sequel in the series worth watching. What works here for this sequel is there's more action, bigger special effects, off-the-wall humor, a more intense and dramatic score, Mick Garris's directorial debut and of course there's a memorable moment where Lee the faceless bounty hunter from space looks at a Playboy magazine and transforms into a beautiful nude blonde centerfold babe played by B-movie beauty Roxanne Kernohan. Look for Eddie Deezen ( best known for Mandark on "Dexter's Lab" and Eugene from "Grease") as a restaurant manager and there's an amusing Freddy Krueger in-joke since the movie is from Freddy's home known as New Line Cinema.
- TalesfromTheCryptfan
- May 24, 2006
- Permalink
"CRITTERS 2: THE MAIN COURSE" (1988, Garris) is the direct sequel to "CRITTERS" (1986, Herek) and although it ramps up the Krite action it is too pastel-coloured and whimsical to outdo the original in dark humour and horror, despite Garris's aim to make it scarier than its predecessor.
The Krites, while more present and certainly more destructive, are not as well made as the original bunch that laid them. The damage they do, while farther reaching than in '86, is numbed by the nursery-wall colour scheme and rather weak score.
Good to see various cast members reprise their roles, great to see Krite puppets in droves, and a fun watch overall.
The Krites, while more present and certainly more destructive, are not as well made as the original bunch that laid them. The damage they do, while farther reaching than in '86, is numbed by the nursery-wall colour scheme and rather weak score.
Good to see various cast members reprise their roles, great to see Krite puppets in droves, and a fun watch overall.
- TCurtis9192
- Sep 2, 2019
- Permalink
Critters 2 (1988)
** (out of 4)
Rather bland sequel finds Brad (Scott Grimes) returning to his hometown where a bunch of creature eggs have just hatched and soon the fur balls are attacking more people. Bounty hunter Ug (Terrence Mann) and his group show back up to try and stop them but this time they have help from the small town. CRITTERS 2 isn't really a bad movie but it's yet another sequel that was quickly made to cash-in on the success of the original film. As is the case with most of these films, there really wasn't too much thought put into the picture and it's basically just a remake of the first one, which is a real shame. Pretty much everything that made the first film so good is missing here including the characters that you like, the imagination and especially the fun. It's really disappointing that so many people from the original didn't make it back but this here happens most of the time. Sadly none of the new characters are all that interesting and even the Brad character doesn't have the same charm. Ug and his pal do what they can but even these two just don't have the same magic. I will say that it's pretty funny to see how much female nudity managed to get into this film and its PG-13 rating. The screenplay doesn't really offer the viewer anything they didn't see the first time around and a lot of the humor just falls flat. Just take a look at the sequence with the Easter Bunny and you'll see a perfect example of laughs not working. The one saving grace are the little creatures, which are as fun as always. I thought their design was quite good and I especially liked the baby ones that first start to hatch. Another good thing is that they're actually meaner than in the first picture but it's too bad they don't have anyone great to go up against.
** (out of 4)
Rather bland sequel finds Brad (Scott Grimes) returning to his hometown where a bunch of creature eggs have just hatched and soon the fur balls are attacking more people. Bounty hunter Ug (Terrence Mann) and his group show back up to try and stop them but this time they have help from the small town. CRITTERS 2 isn't really a bad movie but it's yet another sequel that was quickly made to cash-in on the success of the original film. As is the case with most of these films, there really wasn't too much thought put into the picture and it's basically just a remake of the first one, which is a real shame. Pretty much everything that made the first film so good is missing here including the characters that you like, the imagination and especially the fun. It's really disappointing that so many people from the original didn't make it back but this here happens most of the time. Sadly none of the new characters are all that interesting and even the Brad character doesn't have the same charm. Ug and his pal do what they can but even these two just don't have the same magic. I will say that it's pretty funny to see how much female nudity managed to get into this film and its PG-13 rating. The screenplay doesn't really offer the viewer anything they didn't see the first time around and a lot of the humor just falls flat. Just take a look at the sequence with the Easter Bunny and you'll see a perfect example of laughs not working. The one saving grace are the little creatures, which are as fun as always. I thought their design was quite good and I especially liked the baby ones that first start to hatch. Another good thing is that they're actually meaner than in the first picture but it's too bad they don't have anyone great to go up against.
- Michael_Elliott
- Mar 3, 2013
- Permalink
The first "Critters" movie was a low-budget little monsters sci-fi/horror film that, despite its limitations in money and tech, still managed to strike the right chord in balancing the sci-fi, horror, suspense, and comedy elements, even with a PG-13 rating (despite its theme, only two people actually die in the first movie). Unfortunately, despite the fact that you can see them trying really hard to recapture it, "Critters 2" falls short of the mark.
A couple of issues lead to this conclusion. First, despite this film's budget being double that of the first, it doesn't really show. Most of it must have been blown on extra puppets, as this time there's supposedly hundreds of Crites running around causing havoc. Which is weird because, honestly, the Crites feel like they barely have any actual screen time since the plot is also now divided between the attack of the Crites and the townspeople not believing the story of their previous attack and even blaming the attacks on the boy from the first film who has returned to town.
Which leads to the second problem. In the first film, there was an effort to give the Crites some semblance of character. While still voracious eating machines, they still have some minimal interaction with each other and the environment, which fleshes them out a little more. Here, even though we see them talk a couple times (in their own language), it's little more than a one-liner here and there. There's too many of them with no standouts or leaders to give them any character at all.
This all ends up making for a rather dull sequel to a surprisingly entertaining first film. Ultimately, it's not a worthy follow-up.
A couple of issues lead to this conclusion. First, despite this film's budget being double that of the first, it doesn't really show. Most of it must have been blown on extra puppets, as this time there's supposedly hundreds of Crites running around causing havoc. Which is weird because, honestly, the Crites feel like they barely have any actual screen time since the plot is also now divided between the attack of the Crites and the townspeople not believing the story of their previous attack and even blaming the attacks on the boy from the first film who has returned to town.
Which leads to the second problem. In the first film, there was an effort to give the Crites some semblance of character. While still voracious eating machines, they still have some minimal interaction with each other and the environment, which fleshes them out a little more. Here, even though we see them talk a couple times (in their own language), it's little more than a one-liner here and there. There's too many of them with no standouts or leaders to give them any character at all.
This all ends up making for a rather dull sequel to a surprisingly entertaining first film. Ultimately, it's not a worthy follow-up.
- sheldonnylander
- Aug 30, 2019
- Permalink
After I saw the first Critters film, I wanted to see the sequel, Critters 2: The Main Course (the subtitle is mysteriously missing from the film's IMDb page). After seeing the trailer (and Siskel & Ebert's review on it), I really thought this movie was gonna blow. I thought this would be like Batman & Robin, a goofy, light-hearted sequel to a dark, epic, bad-ass film. I then sat down to watch the movie (ironically, before Easter, the holiday that this movie takes place in), and thankfully, it wasn't like Batman & Robin.
This sequel gives us back Bradley Brown, the boy from the first film, who has grown up a bit. Time has passed since the Crite incident, but people still remember the Brown family. Crite eggs are found, but are mistaken for Easter eggs. The eggs end up getting into the town, and when they hatch... All Hell breaks loose! This is a sweet sequel. The puppeteers really showed off their abilities here (case in point: The Criteball, which is a highlight.) I love Bradley Brown's character, and I'm glad that they picked him for a Brown family member to bring back.
Also, just like the predecessor, the bounty hunters are still cool as ever. Surprisingly, Ug is still disguised as Johnny Steele.
So far, this is the last Critters movie that I saw. I plan on seeing the other two, but have second thoughts on them. Critters 3 looks okay, and Critters 4 just looks boring.
Another thing, I believe that the rating for this film on here should be up a bit, at almost the same rating as the first film.
This sequel gives us back Bradley Brown, the boy from the first film, who has grown up a bit. Time has passed since the Crite incident, but people still remember the Brown family. Crite eggs are found, but are mistaken for Easter eggs. The eggs end up getting into the town, and when they hatch... All Hell breaks loose! This is a sweet sequel. The puppeteers really showed off their abilities here (case in point: The Criteball, which is a highlight.) I love Bradley Brown's character, and I'm glad that they picked him for a Brown family member to bring back.
Also, just like the predecessor, the bounty hunters are still cool as ever. Surprisingly, Ug is still disguised as Johnny Steele.
So far, this is the last Critters movie that I saw. I plan on seeing the other two, but have second thoughts on them. Critters 3 looks okay, and Critters 4 just looks boring.
Another thing, I believe that the rating for this film on here should be up a bit, at almost the same rating as the first film.
- slimer8489
- Dec 18, 2014
- Permalink
OH MY GOD! After having such a promising start, Critters 2 reiterated the Karmic rule of what goes around comes around. Clearly, very few things were thought out when this movie was made, and what was up with Scott Grimes wearing an earing! This should have been the last expedition into the Critters saga, but more garbage was on its way. This was the big reason why I didn't watch Critters 3, and why is every bad film series has to have an episode in space? (Critters, Friday the 13th, Leprechaun in Space, Hellraiser, etc.)
This sequel to "Critters" begins logically enough, as the bounty hunters Ug (Terrence Mann) and Charlie (Don Keith Opper) return to Earth, having found out about the pile of Crite eggs left at the end of the first movie. In the company of another bounty hunter, they go about their mission, while former farm boy Brad Brown (the likable Scott Grimes) returns to the town of Grovers' Bend for an Easter vacation with his grandma (Herta Ware), and the Crite eggs unfortunately get distributed around town.
Once the eggs are hatched, it's all about the Critter action in this fairly fast paced effort by first time feature director Mick Garris ("Sleepwalkers"), who also wrote the script with David Twohy ("Pitch Black"). The main change is the opening up of the action, what with having the Crites take on the town of Grovers' Bend en masse. The effects by the Chiodo brothers are typically amusing; the big draw this time is seeing the petite monsters fuse themselves into a great big ball and go rolling hungrily along. (It does make one wish that they do a little more damage in this capacity.)
The cast proves to be game: Opper is once again endearing as Charlie, Liane Curtis likewise appealing as young reporter Megan. Lending their valuable support are Sam Anderson as Megans' dad, the local newspaper publisher, Lin Shaye (another returnee from the first "Critters") as his employee Sally, Barry Corbin, taking over the role of Harv from M. Emmet Walsh, and the always-good-for-a-laugh Eddie Deezen as a restaurant manager. Garris's wife Cynthia plays a small role and also wrote and sang that catchy jingle. Some viewers will appreciate the presence of the sadly short lived beauty Roxanne Kernohan, as the third bounty hunters' incarnation as a Playboy centerfold.
There is a funny little in-joke regarding New Line Cinemas' biggest franchise character at that time.
Overall, agreeable entertainment for fans of the genre.
Seven out of 10.
Once the eggs are hatched, it's all about the Critter action in this fairly fast paced effort by first time feature director Mick Garris ("Sleepwalkers"), who also wrote the script with David Twohy ("Pitch Black"). The main change is the opening up of the action, what with having the Crites take on the town of Grovers' Bend en masse. The effects by the Chiodo brothers are typically amusing; the big draw this time is seeing the petite monsters fuse themselves into a great big ball and go rolling hungrily along. (It does make one wish that they do a little more damage in this capacity.)
The cast proves to be game: Opper is once again endearing as Charlie, Liane Curtis likewise appealing as young reporter Megan. Lending their valuable support are Sam Anderson as Megans' dad, the local newspaper publisher, Lin Shaye (another returnee from the first "Critters") as his employee Sally, Barry Corbin, taking over the role of Harv from M. Emmet Walsh, and the always-good-for-a-laugh Eddie Deezen as a restaurant manager. Garris's wife Cynthia plays a small role and also wrote and sang that catchy jingle. Some viewers will appreciate the presence of the sadly short lived beauty Roxanne Kernohan, as the third bounty hunters' incarnation as a Playboy centerfold.
There is a funny little in-joke regarding New Line Cinemas' biggest franchise character at that time.
Overall, agreeable entertainment for fans of the genre.
Seven out of 10.
- Hey_Sweden
- Apr 25, 2014
- Permalink
Two years after the alien furballs known as Crites attacked the Brown family's farm & sent them packing, Brad Brown returns to the town of Grover's Bend in order to visit his grandmother. But at the same time, a nest of Crite eggs, hidden in an old shed, begin to hatch. As the killer furballs begin attacking the townsfolk, the polymorphic bounty hunters Ug & Lee, along with fellow hunter Charlie McFadden return to the town in order to wipe out the Crites for good.
Critters was a knock-off of the Joe Dante classic Gremlins that became a cult hit in its own right, picking up most of its audience on video. The film's success – it was pitched right to the family viewers with its delightfully-mean-but-not-too-nasty attitude – meant that it was turned into a minor franchise.
Critters 2 was the first of three sequels, none of which managed to quite match the original's recipe for light fun, although one did come close. Unlike the original, which nailed its humour right on the nose, Critters 2's attempts at humour were so clumsily mounted that it ends up shooting itself in the foot. First off, the film's militant pro-vegetarian stance is utterly ridiculous – humans are NOT herbivores, instead we are omnivores, capable of eating both plants & meat (on a personal note, I found that if you don't use any polyunsaturated fats, which have been falsely considered healthy by misguided nutritionists misled by the seed oil industry, you'll live longer & won't have cancer or diabetes). Add to that the LCD style humour that insults the intelligence of its viewers & you've got a recipe for disaster.
To be fair, the film has some mildly amusing moments – the alien hunters are capable of shape-shifting, but their choice of form is skewed – one hunter turns into a blonde woman after glancing at a Playboy mag but even adds a large staple to her midriff (the same character also attempts to change into Freddy Krueger after spotting a poster for A Nightmare on Elm Street) – and the fast food outlet shootout is hilarious for having the Critters pigging out & even one taking a nap in a deep fryer, leaving it with no skin. But these moments are rare & have not enough mileage to sustain the film for long.
Critters was a knock-off of the Joe Dante classic Gremlins that became a cult hit in its own right, picking up most of its audience on video. The film's success – it was pitched right to the family viewers with its delightfully-mean-but-not-too-nasty attitude – meant that it was turned into a minor franchise.
Critters 2 was the first of three sequels, none of which managed to quite match the original's recipe for light fun, although one did come close. Unlike the original, which nailed its humour right on the nose, Critters 2's attempts at humour were so clumsily mounted that it ends up shooting itself in the foot. First off, the film's militant pro-vegetarian stance is utterly ridiculous – humans are NOT herbivores, instead we are omnivores, capable of eating both plants & meat (on a personal note, I found that if you don't use any polyunsaturated fats, which have been falsely considered healthy by misguided nutritionists misled by the seed oil industry, you'll live longer & won't have cancer or diabetes). Add to that the LCD style humour that insults the intelligence of its viewers & you've got a recipe for disaster.
To be fair, the film has some mildly amusing moments – the alien hunters are capable of shape-shifting, but their choice of form is skewed – one hunter turns into a blonde woman after glancing at a Playboy mag but even adds a large staple to her midriff (the same character also attempts to change into Freddy Krueger after spotting a poster for A Nightmare on Elm Street) – and the fast food outlet shootout is hilarious for having the Critters pigging out & even one taking a nap in a deep fryer, leaving it with no skin. But these moments are rare & have not enough mileage to sustain the film for long.
- DigitalRevenantX7
- Aug 9, 2015
- Permalink
Looking at the internet, you'd think that 'Critters 2' was some sort of travesty which totally took away any cheesy merit that the original had. Not so. It's actually pretty good. If you like eighties cheesy horror. And I do.
I've only just watched it since the early nineties and I'm amazed at how much I remember. I'm sure I didn't spend my entire childhood watching Critters 2, but I seem to recall some of it word for word. If you haven't seen the first instalment then don't worry. This one hardly requires much prior knowledge of the franchise to understand. A couple of years ago, some nasty little aliens landed on Earth, terrorised a farm and were ultimately despatched by the alien bounty hunters helping the local townsfolk. That's actually also the plot to the sequel. Only this time it's bigger and better.
There are more Critters. The Critters are generally nastier, while blatantly being funnier at the same time. Critters 2 bounces between horror and comedy, whereas the first film was more horror with the occasional dose of humour. In many ways, Critters 2 is to Critters, what Gremlins 2 was to Gremlins – bigger, louder, funnier, but ultimately not as well received.
Critters 2 is hardly horror. Sure, there are a few gross moments and the Critters themselves are beautifully ugly. But it's one of those films that you have to know what you're getting before you sit down. It's popcorn fun to the max. Any alien who can turn into a Playboy centrefold and then remove the staple he's inadvertently copied hardly sets out to take itself seriously. The film is never that serious, so you shouldn't try to take it so.
If you like nasty little eighties puppet-monsters and daftness to the max, you'll like this. Put your brain on hold and don't over-think anything (otherwise you might start to question why a space ship, i.e. a ship that flies in the vastness of space, comes equipped with an Earth-made parachute. Think about it).
I've only just watched it since the early nineties and I'm amazed at how much I remember. I'm sure I didn't spend my entire childhood watching Critters 2, but I seem to recall some of it word for word. If you haven't seen the first instalment then don't worry. This one hardly requires much prior knowledge of the franchise to understand. A couple of years ago, some nasty little aliens landed on Earth, terrorised a farm and were ultimately despatched by the alien bounty hunters helping the local townsfolk. That's actually also the plot to the sequel. Only this time it's bigger and better.
There are more Critters. The Critters are generally nastier, while blatantly being funnier at the same time. Critters 2 bounces between horror and comedy, whereas the first film was more horror with the occasional dose of humour. In many ways, Critters 2 is to Critters, what Gremlins 2 was to Gremlins – bigger, louder, funnier, but ultimately not as well received.
Critters 2 is hardly horror. Sure, there are a few gross moments and the Critters themselves are beautifully ugly. But it's one of those films that you have to know what you're getting before you sit down. It's popcorn fun to the max. Any alien who can turn into a Playboy centrefold and then remove the staple he's inadvertently copied hardly sets out to take itself seriously. The film is never that serious, so you shouldn't try to take it so.
If you like nasty little eighties puppet-monsters and daftness to the max, you'll like this. Put your brain on hold and don't over-think anything (otherwise you might start to question why a space ship, i.e. a ship that flies in the vastness of space, comes equipped with an Earth-made parachute. Think about it).
- bowmanblue
- Aug 11, 2016
- Permalink
Sometimes horror movies have such bad concepts and production quality that they absolutely must be horror/comedies. The Critters franchise's concept isn't as bad as evil bongs or killer gingerbread men, just a little inferior to most. Little furry alien things arrive on earth and wreak havoc. There's alien bounty hunters that are cheesy as hell and the critters themselves are hilarious, but the first instalment of the series did not seem to think so. In a movie with such bad acting, dumb characters and poorly made monsters, they actually seemed to think it would be legitimate fright fest. Producers realized this mistake and made the other instalments embrace the hilarity it didn't seem to realize it flaunted.
Critters are tiny furry aliens that are actually pretty cool looking. If all four 'Critters' movies was 100% critters and 0% everybody else, they may have actually been good.
Just because 'Critters 2' takes a more comedic turn and is better than the first film, does not mean it is good. The family that got terrorized in the first is still scarred and nobody in town believes in these furry monsters. They soon believe them when even more critters than before terrorize the town.
What makes this a better sequel is that there's more critters, more action, and more comedy. Usually sequels add more of what the first one had and often does not mean that its the better film. When the first instalment of a film is bad and the only cure is more, then adding more of the first is well worth it.
If you have a strong sense of humour, then the 20 minutes or so of the silly looking, Jim Henson knock-off critters will provide a somewhat enjoyable time. Everything else this has sucks.
1.5/4
Critters are tiny furry aliens that are actually pretty cool looking. If all four 'Critters' movies was 100% critters and 0% everybody else, they may have actually been good.
Just because 'Critters 2' takes a more comedic turn and is better than the first film, does not mean it is good. The family that got terrorized in the first is still scarred and nobody in town believes in these furry monsters. They soon believe them when even more critters than before terrorize the town.
What makes this a better sequel is that there's more critters, more action, and more comedy. Usually sequels add more of what the first one had and often does not mean that its the better film. When the first instalment of a film is bad and the only cure is more, then adding more of the first is well worth it.
If you have a strong sense of humour, then the 20 minutes or so of the silly looking, Jim Henson knock-off critters will provide a somewhat enjoyable time. Everything else this has sucks.
1.5/4
- Movie-ManDan
- Feb 23, 2018
- Permalink
With the news of more aliens still on Earth, the bounty hunters set off to find the lone human they can trust to help them corral the beings before they spread throughout the town and become too much for them to handle.
This here turned out to be quite an exciting and enjoyable horror/comedy that has so much going for it that there's just no shortage of fun to be had here. The fact that this one decides to get the creatures out quite early with the discovery of the eggs and the town becoming aware of what's going on with his reappearance to their total dismay and a series of isolated attacks that clearly signal the creatures are back and ready to continue their rampage as before, only making the creatures as completely oblivious to the others around them makes for a rather fun time with the different attacks not being recognized until the mid-way point results in some nice fun. With the different tactics of trying to get the creatures under control still providing a lot of laughs as well, it makes for much more fun to be had when it plays off the previously established guidelines for the series as well as injecting a lot of clever and sometimes creepy points in this to add in a horror angle when all is said and done makes this one a lot more entertaining and enjoyable. There's enough gore in this to appeal to the more traditional horror fans with their attacks on the townspeople in the diner, the church and the final attack in the storage locker not only provide some fun moments throughout with their fun combination of mixing light-hearted action with some rather gruesome moments to add up to a bunch of fun times. While there's some flaws here in that the continuous jokes about the events in the first film are used to make it appear that he's just insane and should know better about spreading such information around get tiresome quite quickly, there's enough to like here that it's enough to overcome the few flaws.
Rated PG-13: Language, Violence and Nudity.
This here turned out to be quite an exciting and enjoyable horror/comedy that has so much going for it that there's just no shortage of fun to be had here. The fact that this one decides to get the creatures out quite early with the discovery of the eggs and the town becoming aware of what's going on with his reappearance to their total dismay and a series of isolated attacks that clearly signal the creatures are back and ready to continue their rampage as before, only making the creatures as completely oblivious to the others around them makes for a rather fun time with the different attacks not being recognized until the mid-way point results in some nice fun. With the different tactics of trying to get the creatures under control still providing a lot of laughs as well, it makes for much more fun to be had when it plays off the previously established guidelines for the series as well as injecting a lot of clever and sometimes creepy points in this to add in a horror angle when all is said and done makes this one a lot more entertaining and enjoyable. There's enough gore in this to appeal to the more traditional horror fans with their attacks on the townspeople in the diner, the church and the final attack in the storage locker not only provide some fun moments throughout with their fun combination of mixing light-hearted action with some rather gruesome moments to add up to a bunch of fun times. While there's some flaws here in that the continuous jokes about the events in the first film are used to make it appear that he's just insane and should know better about spreading such information around get tiresome quite quickly, there's enough to like here that it's enough to overcome the few flaws.
Rated PG-13: Language, Violence and Nudity.
- kannibalcorpsegrinder
- Nov 20, 2013
- Permalink
The furry space munchers are back in Grover's Bend...
"Critters 2" has a good storyline that is easy to follow and also serves as a great continuation of the storyline from the first movie. It is a combination of the events in the storyline and the detailed characters that makes the movie good.
It was nice to have Scott Grimes (playing Brad), Terrence Mann (playing Ug) and Don Keith Opper (playing Charlie) return to the sequel, which added a great sense of continuity to the movie. Furthermore, the movie also have Lin Shaye, Barry Corbin and Sam Anderson on the cast list, so if you have watched movies during the 1980s there is a good amount of familiar faces to be seen here. But in general, the casting was good and they had some nice talents appearing in the movie. And people were doing good jobs with their given roles and characters.
The pacing of "Critters 2" is fairly much the same as in the previous movie. However, it takes some twenty odd minutes before the movie starts to get up in gear. So taking 20 something minutes to set the atmosphere and build up the story was a bit tedious. Especially since we already am familiar with the concept of the critters from the first movie.
Some of the scenes were actually quite nice, especially when you had the critter's point of view of the surroundings and the world in which it was running around in, before it got squished.
The special effects team were doing a great job with their work on "Critters 2", and it was nice to see that they had given them more money, because the effects were definitely a notch up in comparison to the effects seen in the first movie. The critters are starting to look more interesting and more life-like.
There is a a good atmosphere to the movie, and the setting was good. And it worked out quite well with the specific style of cinematography and the work of director Mick Garris. There is a very "Gremlins 2" feel to this sequel with the increased comedy level of the movie. So if you like that or not is a matter of personal preference, of course. I did enjoy it.
The music score for "Critters 2" is quite good and it suits the movie and the atmosphere of the movie quite well. It is subtle enough to function as background music, yet still prominent enough to demand attention.
I must say that the critters design is really interesting, and I like it quite a lot. They are every bit as funny as they are ferocious. They looks like cuddly small creatures, but are in fact crazed feeding machines. But the design of the featureless bounty hunters is also quite interesting, and I especially like their shape-changing ability that allows them to mimic the appearance of others.
If you enjoyed the first "Critters" movie, then you will definitely also like the sequel. And like its predecessor, "Critters 2" is a wonderful mix of Sci-Fi, horror and comedy, with the introduction of more comedy compared to the previous movie.
"Critters 2" has a good storyline that is easy to follow and also serves as a great continuation of the storyline from the first movie. It is a combination of the events in the storyline and the detailed characters that makes the movie good.
It was nice to have Scott Grimes (playing Brad), Terrence Mann (playing Ug) and Don Keith Opper (playing Charlie) return to the sequel, which added a great sense of continuity to the movie. Furthermore, the movie also have Lin Shaye, Barry Corbin and Sam Anderson on the cast list, so if you have watched movies during the 1980s there is a good amount of familiar faces to be seen here. But in general, the casting was good and they had some nice talents appearing in the movie. And people were doing good jobs with their given roles and characters.
The pacing of "Critters 2" is fairly much the same as in the previous movie. However, it takes some twenty odd minutes before the movie starts to get up in gear. So taking 20 something minutes to set the atmosphere and build up the story was a bit tedious. Especially since we already am familiar with the concept of the critters from the first movie.
Some of the scenes were actually quite nice, especially when you had the critter's point of view of the surroundings and the world in which it was running around in, before it got squished.
The special effects team were doing a great job with their work on "Critters 2", and it was nice to see that they had given them more money, because the effects were definitely a notch up in comparison to the effects seen in the first movie. The critters are starting to look more interesting and more life-like.
There is a a good atmosphere to the movie, and the setting was good. And it worked out quite well with the specific style of cinematography and the work of director Mick Garris. There is a very "Gremlins 2" feel to this sequel with the increased comedy level of the movie. So if you like that or not is a matter of personal preference, of course. I did enjoy it.
The music score for "Critters 2" is quite good and it suits the movie and the atmosphere of the movie quite well. It is subtle enough to function as background music, yet still prominent enough to demand attention.
I must say that the critters design is really interesting, and I like it quite a lot. They are every bit as funny as they are ferocious. They looks like cuddly small creatures, but are in fact crazed feeding machines. But the design of the featureless bounty hunters is also quite interesting, and I especially like their shape-changing ability that allows them to mimic the appearance of others.
If you enjoyed the first "Critters" movie, then you will definitely also like the sequel. And like its predecessor, "Critters 2" is a wonderful mix of Sci-Fi, horror and comedy, with the introduction of more comedy compared to the previous movie.
- paul_haakonsen
- Jun 19, 2017
- Permalink
Not as good as the original, but still good old-fashioned fun. This was very Gremlins resemblance comedy-ish, but nevertheless still entertaining. The film picks up where the original left off, with Scott Grimes returning to town to fight more fur balls.
- paulclaassen
- Jun 15, 2018
- Permalink