31 days of Halloween: The Rats

The Rats is a 2002 horror film about super-intelligent rats who wreak havoc on New York City.

This film wasn't as bad as I had initially expected, but it's definitely the run of the mill "small creature is running amok and loves the taste of blood" horror film. The film opens at an upscale department store where a women trying on clothes gets bit by a rat, believing it to be something more akin to a rusty nail, she is sent on her merry way. Well, soon enough it becomes clear it was a rat, and a pretty nasty one at that.

Susan Costello, who works at the store calls on Jack Carver who is an expert exterminator. Jack tracks down the cause, a colony of rats living in the city's underbelly. Of course, all authority figures want to sweep this under the covers in classic horror film fashion, but that doesn't stop Jack or Susan.

Some scenes aren't really funny, but the thought (and sight) of dozens of rats swimming across a pool (a la Jaws) towards a group of screaming children is pretty humorous.

Apparently this film was to debut on September 11th 2001. Well, needless to say, the film was pushed back until 2002.

** 1/2 out of *****