directed by:
Jason D Morris written by: Robert Carrera genre: Horror, Comedy |
I'll fully admit that I was not expecting to find subtitles in "The Space Rodent," so we'll consider that to be the first twist in the plot of reviewing this film from Director Jason D. Morris and Writer Robert Carrera. Warning: some spoilers ahead. As it launches into gear, it sounds like this alien race of rodents is runnin' out of resources quickly, so they're looking for another place to inhabit before their time runs out. The humble space rodent we meet at the beginning of the film tries to explain to his leader, Lord Ganark, that the distance to the next place that might have enough of what they need is probably too damn far away, and subsequently, we end up seeing what's likely the first case of one large rat pimp-slapping another in the history of cinema. And then off we go, blasted into the cosmos where the credits all float, only to end up in Cavell, Illinois, naturally. We meet Mac, who is "in between gigs," Amanda who is dressed like a witch and having her titties squished by her friend Skyler, and a nerdy dude named Dean, who has taken on the challenging task of throwing food into Mac's mouth while he's upside down. Are you all caught up to speed? Cool.
Alright…so…clearly, "The Space Rodent" isn't really shooting to be a highbrow kind of Comedy/Horror, despite Dean all of a sudden appearing to engage in thoughtful conversation with a pipe in his mouth. I actually like Mac (Robert Carrera) and Dean (David Minard) as we first get to spend some time with them - they've got a natural style of boy's banter that works well. Immature, to say the least, like most guys are, they're basically ignoring the reality of their relationships failing and life crumbling around them while they debate what is porn - and what is a tasteful physical expression of love as they decide what to watch while their ladies are out. Is the comedic aspect a little bit forced? Sure. Does it land anyway? Occasionally. You'll get about a quarter into "The Space Rodent," and you'll still feel like there's enough to keep you watching further. Ultimately, these dudes drink out of jars and have no problem switching pants with each other in the middle of the living room, so they're relatable…to me, at least. When they meet The Crow, who comes by Mac's house to trick or treat - to get rejected by Mac & Dean based on her age, I felt that burn – I got rejected for the same reasons when I was still only fourteen, just because I had a Brillo pad's worth of chest hair poking out of the dress I was wearing at the time. Besides – it's not the age of The Crow they should be objecting to, so much as the fact that when we meet her, it's still freakin' daylight out, and who in the hell goes trick or treating before it's dark? That's savage – I'd move outta that neighbourhood in a heartbeat. The Crow persists and continues to make her case for getting some candy before spray painting Mac's house with a dick and proceeding to tear down Dean's incredible sign to keep the trick-or-treating folks away. There's a little confusion in the script as to whose house this actually is, but hell, that's just minor details, not important stuff. What IS important is that…like…Amanda and Skyler seem to drive through the space-time continuum somehow, and the rats end up on Earth in Mac/Dean's weird garage/barn dungeon thing, snacking on The Crow. That's concerning. Or at least it should be... you'd think it would be. Dean is freakin' ecstatic about it, though, snapping pictures and excited at the opportunity to have discovered an alien race on his planet. These rats are freakin' tough… they've travelled through space and eaten a kid, but no worries, the barn door is where they've met their match – and Mac pins them in by driving the car over to seal them inside. Elsewhere, Amanda & Skyler are waking up from a car crash to discover they've got an infestation of their own to deal with, and it becomes clear that the rodents have at least spread to these two locations that our main characters happen to be centralized within – and is that bad luck or what? As for the rest of the planet, things seem to be fine…for now…okay, it's not really addressed much…but for how long?
Look. Is "The Space Rodent" gonna make a whole lot of rational sense? No – but if you expected it to, then that is 100% on YOU. It's meant to be silly fun, and it achieves a decent modicum of success in that regard. Like the other times you'll get to see The Crow (Ty Pennington) pop up, for instance, they are all fun inclusions into this script. The rats themselves are definitely fun and look pretty damn cool, even if we're fairly aware of them not being 'real.' And if you've ever wondered about what an ocean spray of rat jizzum looks like, I promise you that you'll get your answer in this film before it's done. Mac, with his charming, boyish Bruce Campbell look, is fun. Dean, with his Egon/Revenge of the Nerds vibe, is fun. As long as you're not looking for a freakin' movie called "The Space Rodent" to win an Oscar, then YOU will probably have a little bit of fun watching it as well! As with most things in life, lowered expectations are always the way to go…trust me when I say you'll be able to enjoy things so much more going that route. Where could this have improved? I mean…again… we're talking about "The Space Rodent," y'all… It's doing all of what you'd likely expect it to, which is to fully stop. I guess if anything, and not to get too serious in a place that doesn't warrant it, I'd have taken a bit more screen time with Amanda (Leah Benard) and Skyler (Shelby Broadnax), who I'd say were a little under-utilized if you really want my opinion. Evan O'Hare, who plays a random stranger called Sam, also deserves his own film - or trilogy of films…complete anthology, maybe…I dunno…you get it; the guy's a genius, and we don't get to spend a whole lot of time with his character & he's arguably delivering the most committed performance. Might have to be a prequel - but you get what I mean – you'll want more from this character based on what he brings to "The Space Rodent". All in all, when you consider the fact that "The Space Rodent" took way more time than it did money to make, you have to give these cats a lot of credit for generating the amount of fun that they somehow create. It is an entertaining film, more so than you'd probably assume, and that's kind of a strange testament to their combined commitment to follow through on a concept that most would have likely passed on. Is this the product of some friends getting together just to do something different and have a good time? Probably. Was it all created just to film that one scene with the tidal wave of rat jizz? I'm not saying no. Have you seen worse than "The Space Rodent?" You absolutely have. While "The Space Rodent" might not be finding its way to the podium during awards season, make no mistake, the cast and crew combined KNOW what this movie IS. It's pure escapism, it's ridiculous, it's impressively crude, and intentionally over the top. I'm feeling like going with three stars out of five. "The Space Rodent" is an unlikely source of fun, perhaps, but I can't deny that I had a good time watching this movie and felt like I was pretty entertained from start to finish. I was never bored; I can say that with certainty. |
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