Product: Tremors (1990)
Rating: 5.0
Tremors (1989)
Director: Ron UnderwoodCast: Kevin Bacon, Fred Ward, Finn Carter, Michael Gross, Reba McEntire.Running Time: 95 minutes.Rated PG-13 for violence, language, and mild amounts of gooey monster gore.A classic monster movie in line with the 1950's onslaught of similar films, "Tremors" is a devastatingly enjoyable film that will mark high on most viewer's richter scales. Kevin Bacon and Fred Ward star as a quirky duo of garbage collectors for the small town of Perfection, Nevada. Just as they are ready to leave town for good, start up a new business, and sail into the sunset as new men, their quiet little desert town is not all that it seems. Seismologist Finn Carter discovers strange rumblings in the ground and suspects that their area is to be inflicted with a massive earthquake, but there is no past evidence of quake occurences.The town of Perfection is soon put into a terrible frenzy as they are traumatized and gobbled up by flesh-eating, snake-like monsters that actually live underground. They have no eyes, but can sense movements and sound--forcing all of the remaining citizens to read higher ground in order to survive. Michael Gross (yes, that Michael Gross from "Family Ties") and Reba McEtnire (yes, the famous country star) organize a military onslaught to protect and hold their neighborhood. "Tremors" develops into a devilishly hilarious and campy monster movie with lovable characters, thrills and chills, and superb special effects. Bacon is very good in the one of the lead roles, depicting his reckless character with charm and determination.The screenplay created by S.S. Wilson and Brent Maddock does not miss a beat, increasing in intensity and humor as the film goes on. The firearm standoff between Gross/McEntire and the huge soil-slithering creatures is a a fun, ten-minute epic scene that is truly dazzling. Rivals "Aliens" as the best monster movie of the latter part of the 1980's, "Tremors" might just be the most fun a horror cinematic experience can be. Unheralded and somewhat forgotten; should be considered one of the best of its kind.