Bats (1999)

Genetically mutated bats escape and it's up to a bat expert and the local sheriff to stop them.

Director:

Louis Morneau

Writer:

John Logan

Stars:

Lou Diamond Phillips, Dina Meyer, Bob Gunton

Cast

Complete credited cast:
Lou Diamond Phillips	...	Sheriff Emmett Kimsey
Dina Meyer	...	Dr. Sheila Casper
Bob Gunton	...	Dr. Alexander McCabe
Leon	...	Jimmy Sands
Carlos Jacott	...	Dr. Tobe Hodge
David McConnell	...	Deputy Wesley Munn (as David Shawn McConell)
Marcia Dangerfield	...	Mayor Amanda Branson
Oscar Rowland	...	Dr. Swanbeck
Tim Whitaker	...	Quint
Juliana Johnson	...	Emma
James Sie	...	Sergeant James
Ned Bellamy	...	Major Reid
George Gerdes	...	Chaswick
Kurt Woodruff	...	Major #2
Joel Farar	...	Bartender

Storyline

Bats, the result of a government experiment gone wrong, have suddenly become intelligent, vicious, and omnivorous, and are attacking people near Gallup, Texas. Bat specialist Sheila Casper and her assistant Jimmy are brought in but can they stop the bats before the military comes in and, in their ignorance, makes things worse?

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Plot Keywords:

mad scientist | texas | small town | sheriff | bat | 

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Taglines:

Out of hell.

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Genres:

Horror | Sci-Fi | Thriller

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Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated PG-13 for intense sequences of bat attacks, and brief language

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

22 October 1999 (USA)

Also Known As:

Blood Moon

Filming Locations:

American Fork, Utah, USA

Box Office

Budget:

$5,250,000 (estimated)

Opening Weekend USA:

$4,717,902, 24 October 1999, Wide Release

Gross USA:

$10,155,690

Company Credits

Production Co:

Destination Films

Technical Specs

Runtime:

91 min

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital EX DTS-ES DTS SDDS Dolby Digital

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

2.39 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

The local movie theatre is playing Nosferatu (1922), the original vampire movie.

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Goofs

Jumper cables connected to a chain link fence will short out as soon as the power is turned on. It will not electrify the fence.

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Quotes

Sheriff Emmett Kimsey: Are you kidding me? I am not up to my chest in bat shit.

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Alternate Versions

The theatrical and VHS versions are rated PG-13 while the DVD version is the R-rated cut.

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Connections

Referenced in 'Bats' Abound (1999)

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Soundtracks

Don't Let The Doorknob Hit Ya
Written by Marcus Barone and Kristin Pickett
Performed by Chris Anderson

User Reviews

Standard creature feature

Nobody ,surely,would sit down to watch a sub 90 minute movie called Bats,and starring Lou Diamond Philips,expecting to see another Citizen Kane.What you get is a brisk tale cut to the standard template for such flicks Mutant bats,created by the US government to be "perfect killing machines"create havoc in Texas,when escaping from the lab.Standing between them and world domination are the intrepid sheriff(Philips) a bat expert(Dina Meyer)and her sidekick(Leon)The bog standard mad scientist is on hand to complicate matters even more The director seems to delight in camera movement and the mass bat attacks pass in a whirling frenzy of disorienting and vaguely irritating camera jumps. The script is trite and does not stand up to scrutiny but there are some nice touches e.g Nosferatu showing at the local movie house,the sheriffs closet love of opera Meyer looks fetching attired for combat with the nocturnal enemy,Philips is better than the material deserves but the sidekick character was an irritant spouting would be funny lines

As a no brainer it passes muster on a bleak December day,but it is no "Tremors",it is no "Them"(still the best picture of its type I reckon) Eye candy for those who need to give the cerebellum a rest