‘Grabbers’ Review:  This Irish Lovechild of ‘Alien,’ ‘The Thing,’ and ‘Tremors’ is Top Craic

A small coastal town comes under attack from extraterrestrial creatures, christened as “Grabbers,” which prey on locals, fisherfolk and fish alike. Ciarán O’Shea and Lisa Nolan, two members of the Garda/Irish police force (played by Richard Coyle and Ruth Bradley) are tasked with battling them off. There’s only one rule—don’t get the monsters wet.

I’m a sucker for anything filmed in Ireland and as someone who grew up savoring creature features both good and bad, such as the gloriously goofy “Evolution” and the iconic mother of all monster movies, “Tremors”. “Grabbers” is a flick that felt right up my alley. In fact, the gross slithery and slimy vampiric beings in this offering are best likened to a distant, sea-dwelling cousin of the notorious underground tunneling Graboids from “Tremors”.

Exciting and Fast Paced Horror

Both their modus operandi of killing (by luring prey using other victims as bait much like a fisherman would) and the kills themselves, are also highly creative. Like “Evolution” which promoted Head and Shoulders shampoo as an effective method of getting rid of more than just dandruff, the weapon of choice in “Grabbers” too is equally simplistic, if not plain asinine, albeit it works like a charm (I won’t reveal it here obviously). There’s not much lore to the creatures yet the build-up and sense of urgency in this sci-fi horror keeps one glued. The creature design too is something out of “Doctor Who”.

Richard Coyle and Ruth Bradley make for a compelling pair as the grumpy cop and the book smart rookie respectively. Lalor Roddy as the seasoned drunk Paddy who initially chances upon the Grabbers and even keeps one as a pet, is a hoot. Between this movie and the BBC series “The War Between the Land and the Sea,” Russell Tovey seems to have seen his fair share of action from sea monsters, and he too delivers a perfectly geeky act as Dr. Smith, the resident marine ecologist (not to be confused with a marine biologist).

A Satisfying Ending For Viewers

Bronagh Gallagher offers comic relief as Una, the pub owner actively trying to play matchmaker to the newly widowed O’Shea and his co-worker. The movie does begin dragging its feet towards the climax; however, its bombastic finale is every bit rewarding.

As the Irish would put it, “Grabbers” is top craic, particularly if you’re looking for something to put you in the spirit of All Hallow’s Eve. Although, it did very little to dispel the notion of the Irish getting dead drunk at the drop of a hat.

“Grabbers” is currently streaming on Amazon Prime.