Plot: What’s it about?
When a circle of young friends decide to spend some time out in the wilderness, but they had no idea of just wild this wilderness would become. The kids have access to a houseboat and between swims and campfire chats, they drink all the booze they can and if so inclined, perhaps some narcotics could be involved. So the drunk and oversexed young people just sort of float down the river, but when they happen upon a nest of mysterious eggs, one of them makes a serious mistake. After tossing around the eggs for kicks, one of the eggs is brought back to the boat, but just to show the chicks. When the time comes to call it an afternoon, instead of returning the egg or leaving it there, one of the kids hides it within one of the girl’s backpacks. But worse case scenario, what can happen, like a mad bird chases them down, right? Well, there is a creature out there who wants that egg back, but this beast is no bird and when it finds the kids, it will make sure they never tamper with nature again…
This is the Tobe Hooper helmed Crocodile, but even if you’re looking for another Crocodile, by all means continue on with this review, I think you’ll be interested in this movie also. We’ve seen a wave of animal attacks movies over the last few years and in truth, I like that idea and I attempt to check out the new releases. I think the ingredients for a good animal attack flick these days is to have a non-serious tone, add some cool graphics of the monster, and a lot of blood, flesh, and laughs. And I am pleased to report, Crocodile delivers on those demands and in most cases, exceeds all of the other entries into the genre. I don’t think Crocodile is my favorite animal attacks flick, but it is more fun than most of the others and genre fans will have a blast with this one. The cast seems to be a bunch of young unknowns, but they work well and create nice fodder for the film’s true star, the crocodile. I had a ton of fun with this movie, as it packs in some solid humor, very cool death sequences, and some pretty cute girls, which never hurts much. If you’re looking for a fun creature flick that never takes itself seriously, then Tobe Hooper’s Crocodile is a highly recommended release, at least from this reviewer.
The director here is Tobe Hooper, who is no stranger to blood laced flicks or mean tempered reptiles. In his film Eaten Alive, Hooper showcased a cranky old man and his pet alligator and sure enough, we have another strange old dude and a massive reptile in a foul mood, though the two aren’t as close this time around. So I knew Hooper could helm this with skill and just as I expected, he delivered a fun movie. Now some might claim Hooper has left his skills in the past, as his more recent work hasn’t been that impressive, but I think he still has the talents needed to create a solid motion picture. Here, Hooper takes a limited budget, an inexperienced cast, and a wild idea and binds them together, as a fun and exciting film. I think Hooper has turned in a finished product that exceeds the single elements present, which is more than enough for me on a movie like this one. Hooper also directed such flicks as Lifeforce, Eaten Alive, Poltergeist, Salem’s Lot, The Texas Chain Saw Massacre (and the first sequel), and The Mangler. The cast here includes Chris Solari (Great Balls Of Fire!), Sommer Knight (Tv’s Undressed), Caitlin Martin, Julie Mintz, and Rhett Jordan (Voodoo Academy).
Video: How does it look?
Crocodile is presented in a 1.85:1 anamorphic widescreen transfer. I am impressed here, as this transfer looks very sharp and crisp, I’d never guess this was a low budget flick by this presentation. The colors look bold and bright, but not to an extreme degree, as flesh tones seem natural and the lush greens come off well. No problems with the contrast either, black levels are dead on and detail seems high at all times. This is a very slick, visually sharp presentation and I commend Trimark for their work on this release.
Audio: How does it sound?
The included Dolby Digital 5.1 track is very good also, plenty of surround use and an overall effective mix. The more tense sequences and of course, the action driven ones have a loaded audio presence, very powerful and immersive. I think the attack scenes have the most punch, but even the lesser, but tense sequences have a knack for using the surrounds a lot. But the film’s more subtle moments also come off well here, never overpowered or silenced in the least. The dialogue is well mixed and at a proper volume at all times, while the vocals seem crisp and clean also. The music is well placed also, no real complaints here. This disc also includes subtitles in English, Spanish, and French.
Supplements: What are the extras?
This disc includes a twenty-minute behind the scenes featurette, which uses cast & crew interviews, behind the scenes footage, special effects peeks, and clips from the film to offer insight on the production. I liked this piece a lot and while it should have been longer, I am pleased it was packed into this disc. You can also view the film’s theatrical trailer, but don’t watch it until after you’ve seen the flick, as it contains some spoilers.
