Critters 4 Blu-ray Movie

Rating summary

Movie		2.0
Video		3.0
Audio		3.5
Extras		3.5
Overall		3.5

Critters 4 Blu-ray Movie Review

Reviewed by Brian Orndorf December 1, 2018

In an effort to save some money and limit risk with the creation of a “Critters” sequel after 1988’s “Critters 2: The Main Course” bombed during its theatrical release, New Line Cinema elected to take the series direct to video, hoping to meet the fanbase halfway by delivering prime Crite action directly to their living rooms. The studio also decided to make two movies for the price of one, shooting “Critters 3” and “Critters 4” back-to-back, with the last installment of the franchise (at least up to this point) handed over to director Rupert Harvey, who apparently didn’t enjoy anything the series had been offering in its three previous chapters. “Critters 4” takes the action into space, unleashing the Crites on a space station, where they go about their daily business of bodily harm and reproducing in tighter confines, generating more of a haunted house viewing experience. At least that appears to be the idea behind the third sequel. What Harvey actually delivers is the worst “Critters” installment of the bunch, dropping humor and open air to play a tedious game of “Wait for the Crites,” with the titular monsters barely in the endeavor, finding more attention place on tedious human concerns. This is no way to close out an amusing set of creature features.

After helping to exterminate the Crites, intergalactic bounty hunter Charlie (Don Opper) is suddenly faced with an order from Ug (Terrance Mann) to place the last two Crite eggs in a special pod for preservation. During the deposit, Charlie is accidentally locked inside the machine and shot into space, sleeping for over five decades before being found by the crew of the RSS Tesla, a salvage ship who sense great value in the pod. Onboard are engineer Al (Brad Dourif), pilot Fran (Angela Bassett), Captain Rick (Anders Hove), cargo specialist Bernie (Eric DaRe), and engineer apprentice Ethan (Paul Whittlhorne), and the crew is under strict orders from Counselor Tetra (Mann) of the company TerraCor to bring the pod in for a reward. Landing on nearby space station to deliver the goods, Captain Rick is tempted by the possibilities inside, opening the pod, which releases Charlie and two Crites, with the aliens quickly terrorizing the facility as they begin multiplying, devouring any fresh meat they can find.

Earth is left behind in “Critters 4” and, to save money, Harvey is only permitted a few sets to work with in the picture, striving to create a feel for life on the RSS Tesla and the space station, which is ruled by a problematic artificial intelligence known as “Angela,” and has a countdown clock of sorts, as nuclear material is destabilizing, which is why the floating workspace has been abandoned. The smallness of “Critters 4” is noticeable, especially after the smallness of “Critters 3,” but production designer Philip Dean Foreman does an impressive job of making industrial hallways and ship control rooms visually appealing, adding some detail to an otherwise bland endeavor that’s not blessed with a particularly interesting plot. Additional emphasis is contributed by composer Peter Manning Robinson, who injects a faux Vangelis sound into the movie, trying, more than Harvey, to make a sci-fi epic.

What’s so deflating about “Critters 4” is how long it takes to get to the Crites. Almost 40 minutes of the movie goes by before the pod is opened and the monsters are allowed freedom to wreak havoc on the space station, and that’s only a brief appearance. Almost an hour of the film goes by before the killing begins, which is an unpardonable sin for a “Critters” sequel. The rest of “Critters 4” delves into crew hostilities and Ethan’s dreams of returning to Earth to meet with family, which is slight pass at characterization, but deathly dull stuff while waiting around for angry puppets to do their thing, and even that’s debatable, finding only a few Crites regulated to cameo status in their own film.

Critters 4 Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

As with "Critters 3," "Critters 4" has not been treated to a new scan for its Blu-ray debut. Instead, the AVC encoded image (1.86:1 aspect ratio) presentation is an older master, with Shout Factory trying to spruce it up to make the most of a disappointing situation. The results are adequate but not remarkable, with detail emerging only during tight close-ups, finding some facial textures and puppet particulars. Softness remains, but ship panels and halls retain passable clarity, delivering a sense of the interiors. Colors are agreeable with bolder hues, finding control stations enjoying glowing lights and costuming delivering yellows and reds. The feature remains quite dark and muted otherwise, and delineation doesn't always preserve frame information, finding solidification during a few hunting sequences, while some mild posturization is present in the opening sequence. Remaining in sync with the "Critters 3" Blu-ray viewing experience, grain is zombified as well here.

Critters 4 Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

The 2.0 DTS-HD MA sound mix doesn't have much power, electing to remain settled with a modest read of dialogue exchanges, which detail endless bickering and some interpersonal tensions among the characters, with defined shouting and screaming. Music is acceptable, leading with synth waves to sell the sci-fi movement of the picture, and electronic sounds are supportive but inherently unremarkable. Sound effects aren't amplified, keeping gun shots on the quiet side, while a climatic explosion barely registers. As with "Critters 3," this is a DTV production without theatrical ambition, leaving showier displays of sonic heft behind to achieve basic intelligibility.

Critters 4 Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

• Commentary features director Rupert Harvey.

• "Space Madness" (22:39, HD) returns to the cast and crew of "Critters 3" to discuss the second half of the low-budget shoot, with "Critters 4" moving from an apartment building to a space station, requiring the construction of impressively designed sets writer David J. Schow wanted to use to make an additional horror film, only to be denied by New Line Cinema. This featurette is a little more candid about the production process, with Harvey identified as the man who took "Critters" too seriously, endeavoring to make a darker, more violent picture, which nobody seems all that delighted with. Missing from the crew were the Chiodo Brothers, who delegated work to underlings, lamenting a loss of quality from the effort, including a limited amount of Crites to use for the shoot. Harvey also insisted on story changes, trying to give viewers a few twists to keep them interested, providing a welcome acting challenge for Terrence Mann. There are reflections on the movie's legacy and place in the series, along with some wishes for future plans, but most interesting is an analysis of franchise appeal, with many involved with "Critters" having trouble grasping why there's a rabid fanbase for it.

• Still Gallery (3:05) collects BTS snaps, publicity stills, design sketches, and VHS and DVD cover art.

• And a Trailer (2:10, SD) is included.

Critters 4 Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

"Critters 4" has actors like Dourif and Bassett trying to make a meal out of dramatic scraps, but there's only so much overacting one can endure before hope for a proper "Critters" sequel is lost. The potential of Crites in Space is there for the taking, but "Critters 4" doesn't have a bold enough director at the helm or an imaginative screenplay trying to do something strange with the low-budget norm.