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Reviews Database > DVD REVIEWS (N-R) > NIGHT FEEDERS (2004)

NIGHT FEEDERS (2004)

Published by Film Fanaddict on 2007/1/1 (877 reads)

Directed by Jet Eller
Review by Martin Boucher

Released by Allumination FilmWorks
Running Time: 84 minutes
Rating: R
Color format: Color
Audio/Subtitles: Stereo, 5.1
Region Code: 1, NTSC
Aspect Ratio: Widescreen
16:9 Enhanced: No
Special Features: None
Trailer Online: Yes

At first glance, the alien-invasion NIGHT FEEDERS reminds you of Stephen King’s big screen adaptation of DREAMCATCHER (you know, four guys on a hunting trip, big eyed little creatures awaiting them). Then, when the dust settles and everything starts to go topsy turvy again, a light bulb moment makes you realize just how much the film lacks character. Behind its TREMORS, SLITHER-like appearance (not to mention scads of other creature feature titles), it never really gets over its identity crisis—not until much later, that is. Once there, you do get to see some movie magic, but, alas, despite its freshness, it still makes you wanna go hmm.

Why so? Simple: Imagination. Lack of it, actually. Not regarding the aforementioned latter scenes, but the film in general. Sure, when push comes to shove we have here a director (Jet Eller) who delivers. Just try to stand still while experiencing in-cabin heroes fighting super famished aliens. Effective direction at its best.

However, one can’t help wondering how the film would have really turned out had it been more inventive from the start. It’s been there seen that tag kills whatever strength it needs to stand on its own two feet. And that includes its stronger last third which, however efficiently done so, comes just too little too late. Still, the actors involved in it work well as a tandem, though their performances don’t wow us (ditto for the rest of the cast). They do what they can with what they know (probably learned in summer stock) which includes some occasional trite dialogue delivery (“God help them bastards if I get my hands on them!”) and superimposed cheesy but unimpressionable visual effects reaction shots.

Speaking of effects, how appropriate these extraterrestrial antagonists are afraid of light, since most of them are virtually indiscernible due to poor lighting. Memo to the director: be proud of your skinny-ass creatures—imperfection-looking and all. They may appear unreal but surely they fit the mold when considering this crazed B-moviemaking genre.

Disappointingly-made FX aside, NIGHT FEEDERS does own a good sense of derision. 50’s B-movie aficionados will probably eat it up despite its flaws, for it does try (sometimes successfully) to establish this over-the-top madness attributed to old school filmmaking. It’s just that the people behind this project sell it as such, when the truth of the matter is the overall effect isn’t as cleansed as any alien’s palate.