The first half of Bruno Mattei's RATS: NIGHT OF TERROR has a certain energetic wackiness and some genuinely bizarre moments which help to keep the movie entertaining despite the fact that it's completely awful. Unfortunately, that energy burns out after about forty minutes, and the remaining hour or so drags like an extermination infomercial.
In the distant future, a band of punk Mad Max-like bikers seek refuge in a boarded up building in a deserted urban area. They notice a lot of rats creeping around, but don't seem too concerned about them. After finding some non-perishable rations and some comfy beds to rest in, the group decides to hold up for a while and catch their breath before moving on. Unfortunately for them the rats have other ideas and pick off the gang members one by one.
There is a surprising amount of restraint gore-wise in the depiction of the rats' victims. Other than a few chewed-beyond-recognition corpses, the blood and guts are pretty much kept to a minimum. There is a bit of nudity provided by two apparently uninhibited cast members who seem all too happy to show off every inch of their male and female anatomy, but otherwise it's all very tame for a Italian exploitation movie. With just a little more editing, it probably could have been released with a PG rating (along with YOR - THE HUNTER FROM THE FUTURE and STARCRASH).
Overall, the first half or so will hold bad movie buffs' attention. The second half is pretty much endless scenes of the group wandering around the building, turning on each other or being attacked by the rats (sometimes real rats, sometimes guinea pigs made up to look like rats and sometimes plastic rats being dragged along the floor on a sheet). The "Twilight Zone"-ish ending will leave those who bother to sit through the whole thing underwhelmed.
If nothing else, it gives Spaghetti Splatter fans a rare glimpse of Ottaviano Dell'Acqua without his iconic ZOMBIE make-up.
In the distant future, a band of punk Mad Max-like bikers seek refuge in a boarded up building in a deserted urban area. They notice a lot of rats creeping around, but don't seem too concerned about them. After finding some non-perishable rations and some comfy beds to rest in, the group decides to hold up for a while and catch their breath before moving on. Unfortunately for them the rats have other ideas and pick off the gang members one by one.
There is a surprising amount of restraint gore-wise in the depiction of the rats' victims. Other than a few chewed-beyond-recognition corpses, the blood and guts are pretty much kept to a minimum. There is a bit of nudity provided by two apparently uninhibited cast members who seem all too happy to show off every inch of their male and female anatomy, but otherwise it's all very tame for a Italian exploitation movie. With just a little more editing, it probably could have been released with a PG rating (along with YOR - THE HUNTER FROM THE FUTURE and STARCRASH).
Overall, the first half or so will hold bad movie buffs' attention. The second half is pretty much endless scenes of the group wandering around the building, turning on each other or being attacked by the rats (sometimes real rats, sometimes guinea pigs made up to look like rats and sometimes plastic rats being dragged along the floor on a sheet). The "Twilight Zone"-ish ending will leave those who bother to sit through the whole thing underwhelmed.
If nothing else, it gives Spaghetti Splatter fans a rare glimpse of Ottaviano Dell'Acqua without his iconic ZOMBIE make-up.