The Rats (2002) (TV)

User Rating:

5.1/10   

Director:

John Lafia

Writer (WGA):

Frank Deasy (written by)

Release Date:

17 September 2002 (USA)

Genre:

Horror | Thriller

Tagline:

They're bold... They're breeding... They're hungry... Most of all... They have no fear.

Plot:

A clan of evil rats overtakes a Manhattan department store and threatens to overrun the city.

Plot Keywords:

Rat | Department Store | Exterminator | Subway | Part Computer Animation

Cast

Mädchen Amick	...	Susan Costello
Vincent Spano	...	Jack Carver
Shawn Michael Howard	...	Ty
Daveigh Chase	...	Amy Costello
David Wolos-Fonteno	...	Ray Jarrett
Sheila McCarthy	...	Miss Paige
Elisa Moolecherry	...	Nyla
Joe Pingue	...	Karl
Kathryn Winslow	...	Queen
Aron Tager	...	Janitor
Yanna McIntosh	...	Doctor
Jennifer Coristine	...	Nurse
Kim Poirier	...	Jay
Balázs Koós	...	Tech Guy (as Balazs Koos)
Jackie Laidlaw	...	Bitchy Woman (as Jackie Laidlow)

Also Known As:

Killer Rats (Europe: English title) (video title)
The Colony (USA) (working title)

MPAA:

Rated R for some creature violence and brief nudity.

Runtime:

94 min | 85 min (cut version)

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.78 : 1

Sound Mix:

Stereo

Certification:

Spain:18 | Finland:K-15 | Argentina:16 | Belgium:KNT (original rating) | Belgium:KT (re-rating) | USA:R | Germany:16

Filming Locations:

Toronto, Ontario, Canada

Company:

Cort/Madden Productions

Trivia:

Was originally going to air on September 11, 2001, but release was pushed back after the 9/11 terrorist attacks.

Goofs:

Factual errors: Leptospirosis or Weil's Disease is spread by contact with the urine from infected rats and not the bites.

Quotes:

Susan Costello: Hi, I'm Susan Costello. Oh! Are you alright?
Jay: Yeah, I think so.
Susan Costello: How'd you cut it?
Jay: I don't know, I just reached down to get my clothes.
Susan Costello: Can you show me where?
Jay: [They walk to the changing room] It was right over there.
Susan Costello: Okay.
[She searches through Jay's clothes then gasps]
Susan Costello: It was a carpet tack.
Jay: But how can that just cut...
[...]

Superbly creepy horror flick!

This film has only just come out to rent (December 2002), here in the UK, and I am so glad I rented it. Normally, most certificate 12 horror films are usually awful, but this may well be the only exception to the rule.

Despite only having two well-known stars, in Vincent Spano and Madchen Amick, the film crafts an amazingly gripping and shocking atmosphere - something that is rare for TV movies - that will scare the pants off of you.

The best part is the sheer intensity of the rats, which are surprisingly made up of CGI and animatronic effects. Although looking at the film, they actually appear incredibly realistic, to the point that you really feel for the two leads when they are under attack. The rats are really malevolent, and will freak you out in a big way, especially when they bare their teeth, and start to attack the humans.

What is a superbly creepy horror flick, was only let down by the fact that it wasn't filmed in widescreen, but that is a very minor problem. I would highly recommend this film, as it delivers some excellent scares, and a good standard of acting, not normally found in TV films. The standout moments, are the ending, and the rat attack in the swimming pool, near the start of the film.

Thoroughly nasty, with some neat gore effects, and will do for rats, what "Jaws" did for sharks, and "Arachnophobia" did for spiders! Brilliant! Definitely one of the best horror films in a while! A sleeper hit worth the rental fee!