Critters (1984)

Today Matt & Todd are invaded by the 1986 sci‑fi‑horror‑comedy Critters, directed by Stephen Herek.

Pint‑sized, ravenous, space-hedgehog critters escape space-prison and head to earth for a feast, crash landing on a quiet Kansas farm. Hot on their trail are two morphing alien bounty hunters who are armed, dangerous, and able to change their faces (with varying success).

If you’re expecting something in the vein of Gremlins, be warned: Critters is its own wonderfully weird beast. The tone leans far more into 1950s creature‑feature energy. It is closer to The Blob (1958) than Poltergeist (1982). This one keeps its own “offbeat meets surreal” personality and impressive practical effects.

If you’re a fan of retro sci‑fi and drive‑in monster mayhem, this one sits comfortably alongside:

Night of the Creeps

Return of the Living Dead

The Blob (1958)

The Fly (1958)

Critters features:

• Dee Wallace Stone
• Terrence Mann
• M. Emmet Walsh
• Billy Green Bush
• Scott Grimes
• Whit Bissell Award Winner Nadine van der Velde
• Whit Bissell Award Winner Don Keith Opper
• Lyn Shaye
• Billy Zane

A cult classic with teeth: Critters is a chaotic, charming slice of ’80s creature cinema that still hits the spot.

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