The recent Wild Eye Releasing DVD and VOD premieres of the minimal-budget 2015 horror flick "Queen Crab" achieves a new high regarding the low-brow blood-and-guts offerings from this company behind the DVD release of the awesome recently reviewed zombie flick "A Plague So Pleasant." The petrified wooden acting of every cast member and junior-high boy level special effects in "Crab" are so bad that they are good. On a larger level, these elements evoke great memories of the bargain-basement quality of the USA Original Movies of the '90s.
"Crab" additionally prompts thoughts of the mid-budget "Tremors" franchise; the lore of that series centers around ginormous (and highly carnivorous) earth worms.
The following YouTube clip of the "Crab" trailer" accurately portrays the cheesy elements described above.
"Crab" further pays homage to the low-budget horror and scifi films of the '50s in starting the story 20 years in the past. Rather than a nuclear blast, the younger version of lead character Melissa feeding the titular crustacean a growth formula causes it to reach a monstrous size.
The action then moves to the general present when a local dirt bag attacking "Timmy" awakens violent tendencies in "Lassie" that start a rampage, which includes livestock mutilation. Local lawman/uncle Ray, who quickly establishes that he is not like a television sheriff who enjoy solving mysteries, reluctantly assists the stereotypical outsider who comes on the scene to investigate.
The monster is a laughably horrible CGI creation that clearly is superimposed into the action; one scene in which there is no doubt that a character is standing in front of a projected image of that creature is another indication that the special effects budget does not even reach four digits. An awesome tongue-in-cheek extra in which cast members discuss using a real monster crab is both hilarious and shows that they can act when they choose to do so.
"Crab" typically mostly consists of hunter and prey pursuing each other and the latter exacting very shellfish justice on those who commit wrongful acts against it or Melissa. Those attacks are so comically fake that they are far more hilarious than fear-inducing.
Using incredibly cheap CGI versions of fighter jets, rather than even buying what must be inexpensive stock footage, deserve an honorable mention regarding the lousy effects this time out.
An additional threat comes in the form of "Pee Wee" laying an enormous quantity of eggs with the potential to create an army of killer crabs; One spoiler regarding this is that low-tech. tactics are very effective against members of the younger generation.
The bottom line regarding "Crab" is that it is a good choice when you feel like a supremely guilty pleasure that appeals to the subterranean lowest common element. The good news is that that clearly is the intent of the film makers.
Anyone with questions or comments regarding "Crab" is welcome to email me. You can also connect on Twitter via @tvdvdguy.
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