Critters

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Critters

PG-13

1986

1h 24m

Horror

Sci-Fi

Comedy

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Tomatometer

Popcornmeter

52%

Tomatometer

52 Reviews

45%

Popcornmeter

50,000+ Ratings

When strange fuzzy creatures from outer space arrive on a farm, the Brown family -- Jay (Billy Green Bush), Helen (Dee Wallace-Stone), their daughter, April (Nadine Van Der Velde), and their son, Brad (Scott Grimes) -- must fend off the malevolent little aliens. Two bounty hunters with superhuman abilities follow the aggressive beasts from beyond, but the warriors aren't terribly effective, leaving the Brown family to battle the fur balls and rescue April from their clutches all by themselves.

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Critics Consensus

While Critters ekes out some fun from a game cast and screwball tone, the titular monsters fail to deliver the credible menace that makes a creature feature satisfying.

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Kim Newman

Empire Magazine

10/28/2021

3/5

The lead monsters are sort of endearingly nasty and the movie has fun with its small town setting, but the film is perhaps a little too derivative to pass muster with the best of retro-chic [science fiction].

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Variety Staff

Variety

10/28/2021

Critters resemble oversize hairballs and roll like tumbleweeds when prodded into action, the perfect menace for this irritatingly insipid and lightweight film which unfolds with plodding predictability and leaves few cliches unturned.

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Alexander Walker

London Evening Standard

10/27/2021

It's so pitifully plain that the budget won't stretch to showing bigger Critters that the pathetic effect becomes laughable.

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David Nusair

Reel Film Reviews

Oct 2

1.5/4

...a mostly misguided disaster.

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David Day

Horror Movie Talk

Sep 23

7/10

It’s not going to blow you away or even make you feel scared. But it’s not really supposed to make you scared. It’s supposed to be a somewhat risque and fun film for you to sit down with your youngsters on a Friday night and munch on some popcorn over.

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Joe Lipsett

Horror Queers Podcast

09/04/2024

3.5/5

More than a ripoff of Gremlins, Critters is a fun, Amblin-esque family adventure with plenty of amusing sequences and extremely memorable titular creature design, though at times the events at the farm and in the town feel disconnected

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Taner B.

@Tanmanhorrorfan Apr 14

Critters is a decent, fun creature feature that doesn’t take itself too seriously. It has its moments of humor, especially when one of the Critters unexpectedly says “fuck,” which definitely stands out. Overall, it’s a simple, entertaining watch, but there isn’t much more to it beyond that. Score: 6/10

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Farah R

@Farah Nov 28

I didn't expect to have such a great time watching Critters. My sisters and I kept bursting out with laughter at the screwball comedy and hilarious one-liners. Critters expertly combines sci-fi horror elements with lighthearted, dark humor, offering pure popcorn fun and entertainment without demanding serious attention.

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Michael A.

@PhantomReviewer87 Nov 12

One word comes to mind whenever I watch this film..Fun. Its a movie made for that reason and that reason alone. And sure maybe it tries to jump on the Gremlins fame, yet it tries to be its own thing at the same time. Interesting enough this film was written before Gremlins, yet was made after. In the end, that doesn't really matter, cause this film is a great tribute to the monster movies of the 50s and 60s, with 80s charm. Its funny, entertaining, thrilling, and most of all a great time. Like I said Fun is truly the best word to describe this sci-fi horror campfest.

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Andy's E

@andrew139 Nov 3

great sci fi monster movie, been watching this since the 80's, also has great humour particularly when one of the critters drops the f-bomb this came out of now where and shown in subs, great cast, writting is good also, also not to long so the pacing is good and not over stuff

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xpig332 B

@RT69712065 Oct 19

Mediocre 1980’s B movie, one time watch!

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Aaron G.

@Aaron009 07/09/2025

W movie all the way

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Stephen Herek

Director

Dee Wallace

Helen Brown

M. Emmet Walsh

Harv

Terrence Mann

Johnny Steele

Billy Green Bush

Jay Brown

Scott Grimes

Brad Brown

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Synopsis

When strange fuzzy creatures from outer space arrive on a farm, the Brown family -- Jay (Billy Green Bush), Helen (Dee Wallace-Stone), their daughter, April (Nadine Van Der Velde), and their son, Brad (Scott Grimes) -- must fend off the malevolent little aliens. Two bounty hunters with superhuman abilities follow the aggressive beasts from beyond, but the warriors aren't terribly effective, leaving the Brown family to battle the fur balls and rescue April from their clutches all by themselves.

Director: Stephen Herek
Producer: Rupert Harvey, Barry Opper
Screenwriter: Domonic Muir, Stephen Herek
Production Co: New Line Cinema, Sho Films, Smart Egg Pictures
Rating: PG-13
Genre: Horror, Sci-Fi, Comedy
Original Language: English
Release Date (Streaming): Jun 1, 2011
Box Office (Gross USA): $11.3M
Runtime: 1h 24m