Tremors: Shrieker Island
"This creature's an all-go, no-quit killing machine. - Burt
release year: 2020
genre: monster action/comedy
viewing setting: home DVD 1/22/23
synopsis: Burt is called out of retirement to help deal with monsters on a series of remote islands.
impressions: Same thing, different locale (I don't know where the islands were officially supposed to be, but it was clear to me that they were in Thailand.) Burt's given a new site/group that needs his unique experience, and he goes for it. Notable aspects this time around: a bad guy who physically looks like a combination of Brad Pitt and Chuck Norris, rich hunters who don't have any real talent, imitation Lara Croft, continuity with past movies in the series, hunting group with no apparent defenses despite knowing there are monsters out there in the night, a minigun put to use, a monster in the toilet shack, an evil company, Predator-cam (to their credit, they made two direct references to that movie), a new form of scream attack for the monsters, plenty ot juicy guts and gore yet again, an Evil Dead reference, the craziest monster gut spray bath ever (in which one character opens her mouth in triumph while the orange blood flies), another instance of minor characters making it to the end without getting a single line to speak.
body count: 12
acting: Michael Gross is back yet again, continuing his perfect attendance in this franchise. Jon Heder (who starred in Napoleon Dynamite ages ago) is the obligatory sidekick. Jackie Cruz is a cute engineer-type who has a helpful attitude, good building skills, and a really tight shirt. Richard Brake is the evil billionaire who's so obsessed with his organized hunting expeditions that he doesn't realize he's chosen prey that's bulletproof. Caroline Langrishe is the head researcher who also has some past with Burt. Cassie Clare is the billionaire's main helper/guide who realizes he's nuts and switches sides. Iris Park, although given zero speaking lines, is an energetic and helpful member of the research team.
final word: Entertaining, again, somehow. This Tremors series has been full of surprises.
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