Rats! Blu-ray Movie

Rating summary

Movie		2.5
Video		4.0
Audio		4.0
Extras		4.0
Overall		4.0

Rats! Blu-ray Movie Review

Reviewed by Brian Orndorf May 9, 2025

“Rats” comes from the minds of co-writers/directors Carl Fry and Maxwell Nalevansky, who make their feature-length filmmaking debut with the endeavor. And the partners are trying to stuff as much as they can into the offering, out to make a wild, absurdist comedy that follows the everyday insanity of Fresno, TX. It’s a town home to petty crime, unhinged people, and the site of a possible sale of nuclear weapons to terrorists. Those weaned on Adult Swim programming are the target demographic for the effort, which almost exclusively rides along on shock humor and pronounced oddity, putting Fry and Nalevansky on a journey to make an extreme movie on a minimal budget. “Rats” is definitely crazy, and there are laughs to be had along the way, especially when the helmers try for inspired lunacy. But even the most die-hard fans of cinematic nuttiness might find themselves checking the time during the viewing experience, as Fry and Nalevansky can’t quite sustain their vision for this explosion of egos and bodily fluids.

It’s 2007, and there’s nothing much to do in Fresno, TX. Teen Raphael (Luke Wilcox) decides to entertain himself, vandalizing a pay phone he didn’t realize was beloved by town officials. Arrested for his crime, Raphael meets with Officer Williams (Danielle Evon Ploeger), who’s desperate to nail local drug dealer Mateo (Darius Autry), Raphael’s cousin, for his crimes, which possibly extends to international terrorism as rumors suggest he has access to nuclear weapons. Raphael is sent to live with Mateo, ordered to find out what’s going on. However, the young man only discovers craziness inside the house, and such insanity spreads around town. There’s Shay (Ariel Ash), a coked-up reporter questing for a scoop; a pair of FBI agents maintain residence inside a van, awaiting word of any possible arms deals; and Bernadette (Khali Sykes) is a drug addict who becomes a voice of reason for Raphael during this dangerous time.

There’s a crime tale that runs throughout “Rats,” as a serial killer is on the loose in Fresno, collecting hands as his prize, though everyone in the movie pronounces the missing appendages as “honds.” This is the level of humor in “Rats,” and a running gag Fry and Nalevansky beat into submission during the run time. However, exaggerated pronunciations are only part of the journey here, as Raphael is quickly introduced to unhinged types in town, meeting cellmate Billy (Jacob Wysocki) in an early scene, subjected to his nonstop ramblings, including declaration of love for his girlfriend, Bindi Irwin. And there’s Officer Williams, a monstrous, cranked-up cop who also works as a greeter at a local restaurant. She’s out of control, and Ploeger’s performance is mostly yelling and straining, which has its limitations, especially when Fry and Nalevansky visit the character in a bathroom stall as she violently defecates. And yes, there’s a toilet water POV, because…well, I’m not sure why.

A plot of sorts forms when Raphael accepts a mission to live with Mateo, forced to become an informant, though he doesn’t have plans to follow through on the order. “Rats” tracks this new home for the juvenile delinquent, finding Mateo a decent guy who’s stuck with weird roommates, sharing love for his pet pig. And there’s a rapper in the mix, as Pflophaus (Ka5sh) is eager to share his latest single, blending rap with screeching metal. Raphael explores his surroundings, as mostly everything is painted pink and the c-word is the unofficial language of Fresno. “Rats” is somewhat episodic, largely depending on the cartoonish performances to carry the picture, and Fry and Nalevansky are also committed to visual and editorial mischief.

Rats! Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

The AVC encoded image (1.85:1 aspect ratio) presentation probably rivals "Barbie" in its use of the color pink. Hues are vivid throughout the viewing experience, intentionally cranked up to support the strange happenings in the movie. House decoration and costuming are defined, offering bright primaries, and summery hues are appreciable as well, including greenery. Detail is generally strong, exploring skin particulars on the cast, capturing their unwashed state. Housing and business tours deliver textures and depth, permitting inspection. Exteriors are dimensional. Delineation is satisfactory. Very mild is banding is detected.

Rats! Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

The 5.1 DTS-HD MA mix isn't too forceful, but clarity is decent for a film that tries to pack in a chaotic listening event at times. Dialogue exchanges are clear, handling defined and mumbled line-readings, and explosive screaming fits are balanced. Musical moods support with crisp instrumentation and vocals. Surrounds are occasionally engaged, playing with brief separation effects. Low-end isn't active.

Interestingly, English subtitles fail to support the running "honds" joke, retaining the spelling "hands."

Rats! Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

• Booklet contains an essay by Justine Smith.

• Commentary #1 (4:34) features co-writers/directors Maxwell Nalevansky and Carl Fry.

• Commentary #2 (5:43) features co-writers/directors Maxwell Nalevansky and Carl Fry.

• Commentary #3 (3:54) features co-writers/directors Maxwell Nalevansky and Carl Fry.

• "I Love Selling Crack" (1:32, HD) is a music video from movie characters Pflophaus and Lil B The Basedgod.

• "Pre-Cum: Behind the Fiends Pre-Pro-Quo" (7:30, HD) is making-of featurette for "Rats," taking viewers back to 2022, when the production team started the film without financing and "no reason to believe this film will actually happen." Slowly but surely, and with the help of marijuana and a BBQ party, cast and crew were collected, putting everyone on the path to creating a low-budget endeavor in the wilds of Texas. Cameras are there to survey conversation and planning, and while this offering strictly explores the pre-production journey of "Rats," some sense of camaraderie and vision is offered.

• "Post-Nut Clarity" (12:42, HD) is listed as "deleted scenes, alt takes, and old edits." While there are extra bits of tomfoolery from "Rats," there's also extra time spent with the character of Billy and Wysocki's questionable improvisational skills.

• "Larry Bathes Himself on the Set of 'Rats'" (:50, HD) gives viewers an opportunity to watch an enormous pig slop around in a kiddie pool.

• "With Pleasure" (7:47, HD) is a short film from co-writers/directors Maxwell Nalevansky and Carl Fry.

• A Trailer has not been included on this release.

Rats! Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

"Rats" finds a few human beats between Raphael and Bernadette, who manage to connect while sharing community service duties, creating chemistry as their handler goes berserk and a rodent is accidentally torn in half. There's certainly a lot of energy in the feature, putting Fry and Nalevansky to work as they cook up different ways to surprise viewers with grotesqueries. There's an expiration date for this kind of nonsense, and Fry and Nalevansky don't pay attention to it, making the 85-minute-long run time feel rough as the production attempts to find a bit of closure, stopping off at a backyard BBQ where meth is on the menu and the local priest is possessed by a demon. "Rats" is out there, almost guaranteed to be a cult hit of some sort. Your mileage may vary with this type of rampaging, squishy foolishness, but taxing overlength is hard to ignore.