Critters 4 (1992, Rupert Harvey)

Critters 4 I saw a loooong time ago. It was right after it came out on video, probably around '92 or '93. I had loved the first two so much and couldn't seem to have any luck renting the third that when I saw this I had to pick it up. I remember being really disappointed and a little confused (not having seen the third one) but I had really wanted to see it again. The main thing that really sparked my interest in seeing it again was when I read that Brad Dourif was in it.

At the end of Critters 3 - WARNING! SPOILER FOR CRITTERS 3! DON'T READ ON IF YOU HAVEN'T SEEN CRITTERS 3 - Charlie (Don Keith Opper) is about to destroy the final two Crite eggs when he gets a message from Ug, who is now some space counselor, that it is illegal to make an alien species extinct and that he needs to place the eggs into a rocket ship to be sent back into space. Charlie accidentally gets stuck in the spaceship and takes a trip with the eggs to the great beyond. Meanwhile, about 50 years or so goes by and another passing spaceship comes across Charlie (who hasn't aged at all) and the remaining eggs, which have now hatched and laid more eggs. The crew must fight to stay alive while finding a way to destroy the last of the Crites.

I'll admit that I wasn't too impressed with part 4. Even Brad Dourif couldn't save it. The movie didn't suck but it wasn't as good as I was hoping. It was definitely influenced by Alien, though nowhere near as good. Angela Bassett is good in an early role (not to mention it showed her bum and side boob) and actually the whole cast was competent. As with part 3, there was too much time developing the characters when the only really interesting ones in the movie were the Critters. In fact, the Critters in this film were hilarious and pretty much saved the movie from being a big pile of suck. The setting was different and the story decent but overall the characters just couldn't keep my attention. I was also disappointed with what they did with the Ug character. I remember that bothering me the first time I watched it too and it still bothered me. So, in closing a good try but it didn't really come through.

RATING: 3/5