This is yet another remake of a 1970's film that was extremely popular in it's day and while I do think that the original was a tad scarier this version benefits from an effective job of casting. Story is about a nerdy loser named Willard Stiles (Crispin Glover) who lives with his old and sick mother Henrietta (Jackie Burroughs) and works in the office of a company that his deceased father started. Willard's boss is the tyrannical Frank Martin (R. Lee Ermey) who loathes him and berates him in front of the other workers. At work one morning Willard notices a pretty temp named Cathryn (Laura Harring) and she seems to feel sorry for him but he is much to shy to talk to her. One day at home Willard discovers rats in his cellar and contemplates killing them but he befriends a white rat and names him Socrates. He teaches his new friend and all the other rats to obey his commands but a very big rat that he calls Ben pops up and Willard talks to him and tells him that Socrates is in charge.
*****SPOILER ALERT*****
Henrietta dies after discovering the rats in the cellar and after the funeral Frank won't let anything stop him from getting the house that Willard grew up in and even fires Willard from his job. Willard has brought Socrates to work and hides him in the supply room but is discovered by one of the employees which results in Frank killing Socrates. That night Willard and Ben and the other rats pay Frank a visit and after they chew him to pieces Willard abandons them with the hope that they will all go away but they don't and now Willard is Ben's target for payback.
This film is directed by Glen Morgan who makes his debut as a director and he's well known as a producer and a writer. While I don't think that this is especially scary I have to admit that this film does establish a legitimate mood and eeriness that I found effective. Some of the scenes with the rats are computer generated and unless your deathly afraid of rodents this really doesn't come off as a horror film. The film benefits from two very good choices in it's casting and the first is Ermey as Frank and his background in the Marine Corps. comes to use as he yells and insults Willard. Glover is the key to this film and without him this would be a film easily forgotten but Glover is such a good actor that his performance makes the viewer believe his sadness and loneliness. My favorite scene takes place when Willard puts a poor cat in his house and when the cat looks at the ocean of rats in front of him he immediately starts to urinate on the floor! One aspect of the film clearly doesn't work and there is no way that Harring's character would be interested in someone like Willard. In real life she would pity him and that would be as far as she would go with it. On a trivia note, the photo's of Willards father is of actor Bruce Davison who starred in the original 1971 film. This remake does have it's moments but the best thing about this film isn't the rats but the effective performance by Glover.
*****SPOILER ALERT*****
Henrietta dies after discovering the rats in the cellar and after the funeral Frank won't let anything stop him from getting the house that Willard grew up in and even fires Willard from his job. Willard has brought Socrates to work and hides him in the supply room but is discovered by one of the employees which results in Frank killing Socrates. That night Willard and Ben and the other rats pay Frank a visit and after they chew him to pieces Willard abandons them with the hope that they will all go away but they don't and now Willard is Ben's target for payback.
This film is directed by Glen Morgan who makes his debut as a director and he's well known as a producer and a writer. While I don't think that this is especially scary I have to admit that this film does establish a legitimate mood and eeriness that I found effective. Some of the scenes with the rats are computer generated and unless your deathly afraid of rodents this really doesn't come off as a horror film. The film benefits from two very good choices in it's casting and the first is Ermey as Frank and his background in the Marine Corps. comes to use as he yells and insults Willard. Glover is the key to this film and without him this would be a film easily forgotten but Glover is such a good actor that his performance makes the viewer believe his sadness and loneliness. My favorite scene takes place when Willard puts a poor cat in his house and when the cat looks at the ocean of rats in front of him he immediately starts to urinate on the floor! One aspect of the film clearly doesn't work and there is no way that Harring's character would be interested in someone like Willard. In real life she would pity him and that would be as far as she would go with it. On a trivia note, the photo's of Willards father is of actor Bruce Davison who starred in the original 1971 film. This remake does have it's moments but the best thing about this film isn't the rats but the effective performance by Glover.