Grabbers

This film is nearly pure garbage, boring and predictable with very irritating music. Story is stupid, it is entirely written for the purpose of making a statement that "getting drunk is good for you". The only positive it has is a fairly decent CGI monster, but even that has fake lighting on its teeth at all times so the audience can see the teeth no matter how dark it is. Monster's attacks are unmotivated and make no sense. Don't waste your time watching this garbage. The Irish film board should be embarrassed at funding this awful film.

GRABBERS serves up clever and and original concept: Aliens creatures that can only be killed by alcohol attack an Irish pub. I'll drink to that! This film works thanks to creepy effects and a solid cast headed up by Richard Coyle and Ruth Bradley who portray the overwhelmed local constabulary. The rest of the players are just as skilled and instantly recognizable from other, serious dramatic roles. GRABBERS could have been even more fun but, possibly, the filmmakers were restrained by budget and time, otherwise it's an effective alien-monster-on-the-loose flick.

Like an Irish "Shawn of the Dead" - It's essentially a horror movie with a bit of a romantic comedy mixed in. Some great subtle genre references if you're watching closely, Grabbers is worth your while if you like self-aware horror movies that don't take themselves too seriously but stop short of being a parody of themselves. The horror elements are very well done! They're not an afterthought, like in some "indie" horror stuff - the great FX animation (the way the bigger thing moves is really cool, and they actually injected some serious character into the critters) elevates what could have been cheap CG to a higher level. Though it starts off with a bang, it then grinds to a halt for a little while as it introduces the players, and sometimes it seems like they're trying to use a bit too much of the (admittedly gorgeous) atmosphere to stretch some scenes, but once it ramps up the pacing works well. I also enjoyed seeing more of a couple of the actors I've enjoyed in other things - Richard Coyle who I enjoyed in the Discworld movie Going Postal, and Russell Tovey whom I recognized from Doctor Who (though they've both been in heaps of other things). Definitely worth a watch!