Grabbers

Fans of the 1990 monster movie ‘Tremors’, starring Kevin Bacon, will enjoy this ambitious stab at replicating its engaging blend of primal scares and character-driven comedy. The inhabitants of a small island off the coast of Ireland are puzzled when lacerated whales wash up dead on the beach. Confusion gives way to terror when a giant squid-like creature with eyes on stalks emerges from the waves, wreaking havoc with its lashing tentacles and retractable beaky mouth. Whiskey-soaked Garda officer Ciarán O’Shea (Richard Coyle) and his rookie sidekick, Lisa Nolan (Ruth Bradley), are as unprepared as the laidback locals. The chance discovery of the monster’s alcohol aversion offers possible salvation, in the form of a drunken lock-in at the local boozer – but that’s no help for Lisa, who’s teetotal. Kevin Lehane’s smart script and Nvizible’s seamless visual effects make this a big improvement on director Jon Wright’s debut horror movie, ‘Tormented’. Sadly, the climactic showdown shifts the focus from the pub and the sozzled locals, undermining the ensemble feel and diluting the suspense.