Clive Barker is known for liking things bloody, but apparently he doesn't like them *raw* - and after seeing "Rawhead Rex" I can't say I blame him for wanting to maintain a safe distance between himself and this movie.
Rex was apparently ruling Ireland before all the priests turned up and managed to have him banished, which may explain why life before his reappearance reminds one strongly of Craggy Island. Unfortunately, some fool disturbs his burial ground and it's up to a tourist dabbling in amateur photography to try and minimise potential casualties. Not before Rex stomps about tearing limb from limb and seeming rather annoyed about the general imposition, of course...
So there we have your solid setup for what should become a decent enough monster movie. Crucially though, what we are lacking is a decent monster. Imagine the original King Kong's uglier cousin, lumbered with a costume creating movement that wouldn't look out of place in a 50's stop-motion Godzilla film. They were all serviceable effects in their day, but this was made in the '80's, and disappointingly things don't seem to have gotten better over time. Add to this some appalling acting - particularly from an evil priest who's brainwashed by his radioactive church into siding with Rexy - and it feels like you're watching a throwback that's unworthy of its place in Barker's oeuvre. Just to top things off, there's a ridiculous finale with effects that rival those of "Hawk the Slayer" in terms of pure naffness.
Admittedly, these are all elements that contribute to the entertainment in their own especially awful way, so "Rawhead Rex" is the type of film that might be good for laughs with some alcohol handy. It's just a shame that the crew also look to have had a few too many nips of poteen in its making, as well...
Rex was apparently ruling Ireland before all the priests turned up and managed to have him banished, which may explain why life before his reappearance reminds one strongly of Craggy Island. Unfortunately, some fool disturbs his burial ground and it's up to a tourist dabbling in amateur photography to try and minimise potential casualties. Not before Rex stomps about tearing limb from limb and seeming rather annoyed about the general imposition, of course...
So there we have your solid setup for what should become a decent enough monster movie. Crucially though, what we are lacking is a decent monster. Imagine the original King Kong's uglier cousin, lumbered with a costume creating movement that wouldn't look out of place in a 50's stop-motion Godzilla film. They were all serviceable effects in their day, but this was made in the '80's, and disappointingly things don't seem to have gotten better over time. Add to this some appalling acting - particularly from an evil priest who's brainwashed by his radioactive church into siding with Rexy - and it feels like you're watching a throwback that's unworthy of its place in Barker's oeuvre. Just to top things off, there's a ridiculous finale with effects that rival those of "Hawk the Slayer" in terms of pure naffness.
Admittedly, these are all elements that contribute to the entertainment in their own especially awful way, so "Rawhead Rex" is the type of film that might be good for laughs with some alcohol handy. It's just a shame that the crew also look to have had a few too many nips of poteen in its making, as well...