Critters

Name: Critters
Genre: Sci-Fi, Horror, Comedy
Released: April 11, 1986
Duration: 86 min
Rating: 52
Cast: Billy Green Bush, Billy Zane, Dee Wallace, Don Keith Opper, Ethan Phillips

1986

METASCORE

Mixed or average reviews based on 11 Critic Reviews

See All

USER SCORE

Generally favorable reviews based on 19 Ratings

See All

6.6

VOTE NOW

0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

6.6	Your Score
6.6	User Score Generally favorable reviews based on 19 Ratings

Would you like to write a review?

There is a 75 character minimum for reviews. If your review contains spoilers, please check the Spoiler box. Please do not use ALL CAPS. There is no linking or other HTML allowed. Your review may be edited for content. 0/5000

Check box if your review contains spoilers

Play Sound

Please enter your birth date to watch this video:

You are not allowed to view this material at this time.

Critters

Now Playing: Critters

Movie Details & Credits

Europa Vision | Release Date: April 11, 1986 | PG-13

Starring: Billy Green Bush, Billy Zane, Dee Wallace, Don Keith Opper, Ethan Phillips, Jeremy Lawrence, M. Emmet Walsh, Nadine Van der Velde, Scott Grimes, Terrence Mann

Summary: A group of small, furry aliens makes lunch out of the locals in a farming town.

Director: Stephen Herek

Genre(s): Sci-Fi, Horror, Comedy

Rating: PG-13

Runtime: 86 min

See All Details and Credits

Watch Now

Buy on

Stream On

Expand

Metascore

Positive:

Mixed:

Negative:

Critic Reviews

Roger Ebert

What makes Critters more than a ripoff are its humor and its sense of style. This is a movie made by people who must have had fun making it. Read full review

Rick Kogan

For its many lighter moments, Critters is careful to balance its laughs with a number of chills. It unabashedly and wittily pays homage to other films. But ultimately it stands firmly on its own, a little bit frightening and a lot of fun. [15 Apr 1986, p.3C]

Empire Kim Newman

Derivative but tongue-in-cheek enough to have a following. Read full review

Michael Wilmington

Critters is a dumb, but sometimes likable little movie: maybe an odd comment, since it contains savage killings, mutilations and general bloodshed and evisceration. [25 Apr 1986, p.8]

TV Guide Magazine Staff (Not Credited)

One of the most enjoyable films of the summer, Critters harks back to the low-budget science fiction films of the 1950s and balances the thrills with heavy doses of humor. Read full review

Salem Alaton

Critters mounts a moment or two of suspense, but director Herek has as much wit and even less visual imagination than the people who created Night of the Comet. [16 Apr 1986, p.C6]

Staff (Not Credited)

Critters resemble oversize hairballs and roll like tumbleweeds when prodded into action, the perfect menace for this irritatingly insipid and lightweight film which unfolds with plodding predictability and leaves few cliches unturned. Read full review

SEE ALL 11 REVIEWS

Write a Review

User Reviews

Steven1981

Apr 24, 2020

Critters is a 1986 sci-fi horror starring Scott Grimes and Dee Wallace... I have this a 10 rating based on originality because the sequels were even worse and to me this is the ONLY decent Critters film besides Critters 3.. Critters 2 and 4 were just plain bad... The premise is similar toCritters is a 1986 sci-fi horror starring Scott Grimes and Dee Wallace... I have this a 10 rating based on originality because the sequels were even worse and to me this is the ONLY decent Critters film besides Critters 3.. Critters 2 and 4 were just plain bad... The premise is similar to Gremlins but these furballs called Critters come from space and they eat whatever they can get their teeth into and attack humans too. A family is plundered into disaster and must survive when their home is targeted by the furry critters but they also have help to get rid of the critters in the form of two alien bounty hunters with big guns shooting up the place lol. The bounty hunters can take the form of any person's face as their face mutates and transforms to fit in kind of but the main goal is to destroy the critters. Good and bad acting in this film and some stupid characters to say the least but it's entertaining and rarely boring so a great film. It feels very dark this movie in the atmosphere department and more times than not there's a sense of dread with dead animals turning up near the family home or cops being killed by the critter creatures. Good film and best in the series.… Expand

0 of 1 users found this helpful01

Rcavey92212

May 7, 2020

The critters are my favorite mini monsters. These monstrous pint size ghoulies are on the run from space bounty hunters. They land on earth start hatching and mutating so they can snack on a human family in a classic country home. The movie starts out as a family drama with a touch of sci-fiThe critters are my favorite mini monsters. These monstrous pint size ghoulies are on the run from space bounty hunters. They land on earth start hatching and mutating so they can snack on a human family in a classic country home. The movie starts out as a family drama with a touch of sci-fi and soon becomes a kick ass battle with gruesome little and big spaceballs. The practical effects are awesome. The movie is scary, funny and so entertaining. This is one of those awesome, retro kid saves the day movies played by ginger Scott Grimes. Dee Wallace Stone (Cujo) also stars along with a young Billy Zane (Dead Calm) and Lin Shaye (Insidious). A must see!

Budget: $2m
Box Office: $13m

4.5/5… Expand