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ojhwel
Reviews
Komodo (1999)
Fine for a killer lizard flick
While the story has been done numerous times and the exposition(s) at the beginning could have been handled more concisely, the movie avoids most of the pitfalls that usually make this kind of movie so laughable. Here, the heroine, a psychologist, thinks quickly and does have the obvious ideas (like going for the eyes of the beast after her); people die basically in the order you expect them to, but at least they don't get to finish their "meaningful last words" (nor do they have anything important to say).
The visual effects are top-notch, the plot -- as I said above -- isn't annoying, the acting is fine (gotta love Jill Hennessy) for this sort of movie and while some people in the audience seemed to think the ending was too fast, at least it avoided the usual "oh, there's a mother monster" and "oh, it's not dead yet" cliches.
In short, if you want to see big lizards eating people without having to check your brains at the front door, watch this.
Los sin nombre (1999)
A very slow build-up to nothing in particular
This is one of those movies that, despite a lot of pretentiousness and long stretches of nothing happening, one gives the benefit of the doubt the whole way through, expecting a suitable twist or at least explanation at the end. In this case, unfortunately, the twists (it's a three-for-one package) can be seen a mile off, and despite a lengthy "this is what we did" monologue by the bad guy, the whole purpose of the sinister group remains a mystery and above all, sounds like a thoroughly stupid idea.
The look of the film (production design and photography) is very good, but the one original stylistic means -- startling, very loud and soon annoying fragments of video recordings, dreams and micro-flash-forwards intercut without discernible connection -- remain just that: style without substance, not to mention meaning.
Crocodile (2000)
Completely by-the-numbers
There is nothing special about this standard horror movie, but there are, in fact, a number of things wrong with it: The visual effects are pretty bad, especially the computer-generated ones at the end, the story is environmental-friendly with its brains removed, and the characters are mostly totally unlikable (which at least results in a certain satisfaction as they get eaten).
The usual don't-show-the-monster-during-its-first-attack is not very effective as the crocodile seems simply to be missing from some master shots. The first crocodile attack on the main group is pretty effective and the female lead (Caitlin Martin) is kinda cute, though.
They Nest (2000)
Surprisingly un-bad for this type of movie
While it's quite by-the-numbers as "insert insect attacks" movies go, it has at least got actual characters (not highly original ones, mind you), nice dialogue, and even very decent acting all around. The effects are usually pretty good, too, and there are a couple of very nice scenes (one involving a tarantula, another a gerbil). The scares and laughs are well-placed and the gore is appropriate -- not too gratuitous, but no shying away either.
Nothing exceptional, but it keeps you entertained without the stale aftertaste these movies usually have.