In the near future, a group of Army deserters take shelter in an abandoned building to hide from acid rain and the two world superpowers remaining (presumably the United States and Russia, though I do not recall the film being specific). What is locked inside the building, however, may be even more deadly than the war raging on outside.
"Creepozoids" is probably one of the most under-rated films of the late 1980s. While it is true that the plot is a bit thin, the acting average and the special effects not overly stunning, it doesn't deserve the low rating it tends to receive. IMDb, for example, gives this film a paltry 2.2 -- yet, I can say with confidence I've seen countless 5/10 films that were far worse and much less entertaining. This film has a certain B-movie fun factor to it that really provides a lot of charm.
What will probably draw most people to this film is the appearance of Linnea Quigley. And if you're looking for more of her clothes-free scream queening (if "Return of the Living Dead" isn't enough), this film will be right up your alley -- even in a world with contaminated water and rodents of unusual size, Linnea finds the time to have a steamy, sexy shower scene.
The Guy Moon score is cheesy but effective. The effects department... that's a bit odd. We have an alien in a rubber suit. Large rats that don't move at all unless a victim throws them. And a metal tunnel that is only filmed on two of the four sides, making it appear that the person crawling through it is merely low along the wall and not actually in a vent. If the budget was a concern, I think they saved a few dollars along the way.
I really did enjoy the film, though. At a short 70 minutes, the pace is quick and leaves little time to lose interest. Some of the bad dialog can be excused, and despite the fact many people have called this film derivative of "Alien", I just don't see it. I saw much more in common with splatter-melt flicks such as "Street Trash" or "Demons". In this department, the effects were top-notch.
I may be alone on this, but I'd love for Full Moon (or anyone) to release a special edition of this film, perhaps for its 25th anniversary in 2012. An audio commentary with the director and Linnea Quigley would be welcome, and if any outtakes, behind the scenes or cut shots exist, these might be of interest. I really found this to be a good example of an enjoyable film made on the cheap, far more fun and entertaining than bigger Full Moon flicks like "Puppet Master".
