A Japanese company funded by the United States army conduct experiments with anti-bacteriological weapons which create a lethal humanoid rat monster that kills all the lab technicians. The company does its best to cover up the whole incident while a team of soldiers are sent in to destroy the beast and a group of doctors work around the clock to find a cure to a deadly plague caused by the monster which has infected people in the immediate area.
Writer/director Kanta Tagawa keeps the taut and gripping story moving along at a brisk pace, stages the monster attack scenes with rousing aplomb, maintains a grim'n'gritty tone throughout, elicits sincere performances from a sturdy cast, builds a good deal of claustrophobic tension, and delivers a satisfying smattering of splatter. Moreover, Tagawa deserves extra praise for not only going with an old school practical guy-in-a-funky-rubber-suit monster over cheap'n'cheesy CGI, but also for treating the potentially campy premise with refreshing seriousness. Gen Kobayashi's shadowy cinematography provides an appropriately moody look. The spirited shivery score hits the stirring spot. A cool little beast bash.
Writer/director Kanta Tagawa keeps the taut and gripping story moving along at a brisk pace, stages the monster attack scenes with rousing aplomb, maintains a grim'n'gritty tone throughout, elicits sincere performances from a sturdy cast, builds a good deal of claustrophobic tension, and delivers a satisfying smattering of splatter. Moreover, Tagawa deserves extra praise for not only going with an old school practical guy-in-a-funky-rubber-suit monster over cheap'n'cheesy CGI, but also for treating the potentially campy premise with refreshing seriousness. Gen Kobayashi's shadowy cinematography provides an appropriately moody look. The spirited shivery score hits the stirring spot. A cool little beast bash.
