Review: CRABS! – A Comedic Killer Crustacean Creature Feature
Look, let be preface this review by saying that Crabs! isn’t a very good movie in the traditional sense. It’s a film about mutated killer crabs after all – so it’s hardly going to be Citizen Kane. However, Crabs! is incredibly entertaining and it really delivers the goods if you’re in the mood for a killer crustacean creature feature. The budget is tiny and the scope is large (there’s a giant robot vs giant crab finale) but you’ll have fun if you go in under the proviso that you’re about to experience something akin to a 21st Century Troma movie.
First time writer and director Pierce Berolzheimer has crafted a homage to 1980s comedy-horror movies, one which merges practical effects and CGI to deliver monster mayhem and plenty of laughs. These effects might be a little rough around the edges, but they help give the film some of its charm. It’s like Berolzheimer took Gremlins, Critters, Ghoulies and Return Of The Killer Tomatoes blended them together and served them with a side order of seafood.
Crabs! sees a horde of killer crabs descend on a small seaside town on Prom Night. There’s murder on the dance floor and it’s left up to students Philip (Dylan Riley Snyder) and Maddy (Allie Jennings) to save the day. They’re aided in their quest by Maddy’s school teacher mother, Annalise (Jessica Morris) and Philip’s police deputy brother, Hunter (Bryce Durfee). Joining the team is Chase Padgett’s quirky exchange student Radu (who almost steals the movie).
The central cast embrace the material with gusto and they’re all very good – something which can be a rarity in this type of low budget schlock fest. There’s plenty of comedy and heart on display – and you’ll actually care once these characters find themselves in peril.
It’s not high art – but Crabs! is a fun B-movie if you take it on its own merits.
