Mentioned near the top in recent obits for undersung actor Fred Ward, I’d not been aware of missing this sharp goof of a horror pic. (Had I confused it with HOLES/’03?*) A modest performer initially, it became a monster hit in home video, generating many poorly rated sequels. But the original is a paradigm for this type of silly/scary night-at-the-movies fun, with everyone bringing their best to the survival game tropes as huge blind underground wormy beasts attack a small southwest desert community. Director Ron Underwood, with stinkers like THE ADVENTURES OF PLUTO NASH/’02 to look forward to, is on top of every piece of business, either pushing or lying low as needed while getting strong eccentric perfs out of a pitch-perfect cast. Ward’s co-stars, Kevin Bacon & the less well known Finn Carter, take charge trying to out think the fast evolving creatures, with a fine company of eccentrics joining battle. Gung-ho survivalist gun-nuts Reba McEntire & Michael Gross are particularly winning & funny. And now the film has acquired as extra layer of wit as prescient parody of A QUIET PLACE/’18 using the same gimmick of noise-activated attacks . . . but with more laughs. And a bright, sunny look rather than the usual modern murk doesn’t hurt either. The film is almost too much fun.
ATTENTION MUST BE PAID: You know you’re in a '90s pic with an opening shot that spots Bacon from the back as he shakes off a pee before giving his ass a scratch. (It’s okay, he keeps his jeans up.) Had to let the kids know they were seeing something they couldn’t get for free on NBC at home.
DOUBLE-BILL/LINK: *Here’s a link to HOLES which turns out to have little in common with TREMORS. https://maksquibs.blogspot.com/2008/05/holes-2003.html
And to QUIET PLACE which has rather more. https://maksquibs.blogspot.com/2019/01/a-quiet-place-2018.html
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