MPAA Rating: PG-13/Genre: Monster Comedy Horror/Stars: Kevin Bacon, Fred Ward, Finn Carter, Michael Gross, Reba McEntire, Bobby Jacoby, Charlotte Stewart, Ariana Richards, Tony Genaro, Richard Marcus, Víctor Wong, Bibi Besch, Conrad Bachmann, Sunshine Parker, Michael Dan Wagner, John Goodwin, John Pappas/Runtime: 96 minutes
If you ever want to see an audience either laugh, shake their head in disbelief, try to figure out how something that they are seeing unfurl before their very eyes has actually managed to entertain audiences for decades, or some delightfully twisted mix of all three then make the choice to show a group of people a monster movie from the 1950s. I mean I have no shame in saying that, be it The Blob from 1958, the giant ants found in Them from 1954, or (of course) the titular monster in Godzilla! King of the Monsters from 1956 among many others, you are sure to have the time of your life. I say this because yes this distinct category of films does tend to veer a fair amount into the realm of campy, yes they can be (and quite often are) cheesy to the hilt especially in regards to the effects work, and yes the acting in them can be more over the top than Al Pacino when he finds himself stuck in rush hour traffic in Los Angeles (poor man). At the end of the day though, there is also no denying that these films also had positives to them as well. Positives that included the fact that the movies themselves were genuinely creative in their own way especially when it came to the monsters that the human cast had to deal with, the aforementioned cheesy effects were all done practically rather than on a computer like the vast majority of similar films being made today, and there was also a surprising degree of intelligence to them as well courtesy of the monsters acting just as much as allegories for real terrors that were gripping the hearts and minds of movie goers back when they were first released. Perhaps this is why I not only adore these movies to a significant degree, but I also find myself really respecting when a slice of cinema comes along in the ensuing years since that tries to, at the very least, capture the heart and degrees of both fun as well as clear as crystal passion that those films had in abundance. It is for that reason that not only do I absolutely cherish 1990’s Arachnophobia, but another slice of cinema from that same year as well. That being the 1990 monster comedy horror flick, and slice of cinema I happen to be reviewing for you today, Tremors. A film that, besides showing why putting Kevin Bacon in the desert is a bad idea, also happens to be one that truly is an absolute blast from start to finish and every intriguing minute in between. To be sure, it’s not flawless by any stretch (though I’m not sure that it’s trying to be), but with the aid of delightfully well-done work on both sides of the camera, Tremors is one cinematic tribute that is sure to leave you both chuckling and on the edge of your seat in the best way possible.
The plot is as follows: Tremors gets its monstrously fun story underway by taking us to the locale of Perfection, Nevada. A picturesque little community where everyone knows everyone, the local diner is the place to be if in the mood for great conversation and/or a good cup of coffee, the summers are full of tourists eager to give up some of their hard-earned money on crafts and other assorted souvenirs made on site, and the winters are great for skiing….aww who the heck am I trying to kid? In all honesty dear reader Perfection is less a town and more in the vein of an off the beaten path incredibly tiny community of about 15-20 people at most that I’m not entirely sure even a GPS would recognize as being there despite its proximity to the Sierra Nevada Mountain range. In short: this is very much the kind of desolate to say nothing of slightly run-down community which inspired the ones that you might see in a video game like Fallout: New Vegas. Perhaps this is why, when our story begins, we see that two of the town’s residents in the form of a pair of jack-of-all-trade types, and best buds, by the names of Valentine “Val” McKee and Earl Bassett are at long last deciding to make good on a dream they’ve had for some time and leave the town for better, and hopefully greener, pastures. Unfortunately for our dynamic duo, it would seem that Lady Fate, in that mysterious way which she has showcased she is capable of on more than one occasion, might just have other plans in mind for them. Plans that start to unfurl when, on their way out of town, the pair discover the deceased body of a fellow Perfection resident by the name of Edgar Deems. Nothing too weird about that…save for the fact that not only was he found clinging to an electric tower, but also that (after a further autopsy conducted by the town doctor) it would seem that the poor man died of dehydration due to something causing him to be too scared to just simply climb off of the tower. Yet when this unusual death is then quickly followed up with another one that results in only the victim’s head being discovered upon the matter being investigated it soon becomes apparent that something strange and malevolent is wrecking some serious havoc upon this desolate little community and, in the words of Billy from the first Predator, it ain’t no man. Thus can our dynamic duo, with the aid of the community’s alarmingly dwindling populace, figure out not only what exactly it is that is at the heart of these events, but also how to stop them before they can cause any more destruction and carnage or is the town of Perfection about to be lost for good to something far worse and infinitely more terrifying than the interstate? That I shall leave for you to uncover for yourself dear reader….
Now right off, it should be noted that the efforts engaged in here by the assorted groups working behind the camera all manage to be fairly solid. Not just in what each of them bring to this rather distinct cinematic table on an individual level, but as a collective whole as well. Without a doubt, this starts with the work done in the director’s chair by Ron Underwood (1991’s City Slickers and the 1998 remake of Mighty Joe Young among others) and this is definitely one of the more solid efforts on the man’s distinct creative resume. Indeed not only does Underwood do a skillful job here of ensuring that the tempo of the film is one that feels fairly consistent and the story being told is actually fairly easy to follow to say nothing of effectively balancing the comedy and the terror here in such a manner that it is able to keep the movie goer consistently entertained, but he even draws from Spielberg’s playbook from Jaws a little bit when it comes to how much (or how little rather) he shows the main creatures at the heart of this movie. As a result, the film is able to also successfully maintain a welcome degree of suspense and tension that not only keeps you invested, but also (in that trick Hollywood seems to be destined to relearn time and time again) scared more by what you don’t see rather than what you do. Alongside the skilled work done by Underwood at the helm, we are also treated to a rather enjoyable screenplay as penned by S. S. Wilson and Brent Maddock. Indeed in the hands of these two writers, not only does the script work in synch with the director at balancing out the comedy and terror, but they also give the audience a cast of characters who, by and large, are worth caring about despite not giving most a fair amount of material to work with. Besides the work done by the aforementioned two departments, this slice of cinema is also in possession of a truly dynamic effort by Alexander Gruszynski (1996’s The Craft, 2001’s The Brothers) in the cinematography department. Indeed through the talented utilization of some creative camera angles, lighting, and even practical effects work we see that Gruszynski is able to successfully reinforce the work done by the other departments behind the camera in conjuring up the equal parts ominous, uneasy, and just the right touch of silly atmosphere that the rest of the film is working with. Last, but most certainly not least by any measure, I feel like this section would not be complete in the slightest if I didn’t talk about the work done by Ernest Troost on this slice of cinema’s musical accompaniment. Indeed it might not have the same elegance as one might expect from a score done by John Williams, but even so there is no denying that through the blending of such distinct music components as orchestra, blues, and synth, we see that Troost is able to provide this film with a score that feels as suspenseful and lively as the movie itself to say nothing of fitting for both where the film is taking place and the characters at the heart of the story whilst also contributing a welcome degree of emotion into the mix as well. Suffice it to say that when you also throw into the mix fairly skilled efforts from the visual effects and editing departments respectively it’s clear that the teams working behind the camera are fully aware of the kind of film they are making and, as a result, are able to give us a finished product that feels more in the vein of a love letter to that type of cinema rather than a Howler for you Harry Potter fans amongst you by any stretch of the imagination.
In addition to the undeniably skilled work done by the various teams operating behind the camera, it also most assuredly does not hurt the quality of this slice of cinema in the least that the work done in front of the camera by a game and truly talented cast of players manages to be just as effective as their behind the screen counterparts even if the fair majority of them are sadly shortchanged a fair bit in terms of substantive narrative material to work with. Without a doubt in my mind, this starts with the work done by screen icon Kevin Bacon and he is a blast to watch here. Indeed as Val, we see that Bacon does a great job at giving us a down to earth kinda guy who has long waited to get out of what he sees as a dead-end life in a town that is going nowhere only to, when this situation falls into his lap, not turn and abandon his friends in town in their time of need, but instead face the situation head-on in a manner that is both courageous and resourceful. Suffice it to say it’s a spot-on performance from one of the more noteworthy actors of his generation and one that I feel is definitely among the top 7 that he has given audiences to date. Besides the engaging work done by Bacon, I feel like he is matched remarkably well here by the late yet always enjoyable whenever he showed up in something Fred Ward as Val’s best buddy Earl. Indeed not only do Ward and Bacon have a terrific back and forth with each other that really provides the film with a fair amount of both the humor and heart it has going for it, but even on his own we see that Ward excels at giving the audience someone who, like his friend, would love nothing more than to get out of town at the first opportunity yet is also perfectly willing to stay and defend the town however he can when this situation starts to unfurl around them…even if he’s also thinking of ways that he and Val can benefit from it as well. Last, but most certainly not least I feel like this section would not be complete if I didn’t talk about the work done here by Michael Gross in the (now iconic) role of Burt Gummer. Indeed he might only be a supporting role (in this installment anyway), but Gummer still is a sheer comedically over the top delight in presenting us with a guy who, paranoia and potential to be the perfect spokesperson for AmmuNation in GTA aside, is someone whose skills in both survival and firearms prove to make him a terrific asset to our main characters and their battle against the monsters they are squaring off against. Suffice it to say that when you also factor in this distinct cinematic brew fine efforts from such performers as Finn Carter, country music icon (and current judge on The Voice) Reba McEntire, child actor turned grown-up professional poker player as well as real estate developer Bobby Jacoby (now known as Robert Jayne), Charlotte Stewart (1977’s Eraserhead, 1970’s The Cheyenne Social Club), Tony Genaro (1992’s Final Analysis, 1988’s The Milagro Beanfield War), Richard Marcus, former child actress turned painter Ariana Richards (Lex Murphy in some independent extremely low-budget dinosaur movie that not many people have either seen or heard of called Jurassic Park), and Victor Wong (who I thought was brilliant as Egg Shen in 1987’s Big Trouble in Little China) to name but a few it’s clear that this slice of cinema might have a few issues here and there, but happily I can say that the work done by this cast is most assuredly by no stretch of the imagination one of them.
All in all and at the end of the day is Tremors “90” a movie that is practically perfect in every way and then some? Sadly, as much as I love slices of cinema like this, I am afraid that is one claim that I most assuredly cannot substantiate though I would also like to add that this is in no way meant to serve as an insult toward what the departments operating on either side of the camera have managed to give us as movie goers. With that in mind though, is this the worst film made by any of the creative people involved, regardless of which side of the camera they are on, in bringing it to life for all of us? Most assuredly not. Not even close. To be sure, this slice of cinema does have a few distinct issues to it namely the fact that not only is the plot, as creative as it is, does possess more than a couple elements to it that are sadly predictable to say nothing of the fact that you can probably guess with ease just where some of the characters’ arcs are going to take them by film’s end, but also the special effects (for as solid as they are) can come across to some as being a bit on the dated side. With that in mind, there is also no denying that the work in the director’s chair is well-done, the effects still pretty good, the script well written, the cinematography more than capable, the score a genuine delight, and the performances (with regard to the ones provided by Bacon, Ward, Gross, and McEntire) all fairly engaging regardless of how much or little each performer is given to work with. Suffice it to say then that if you are looking for a movie from 1990 that managed to check all the right boxes with the Academy and managed to earn itself at the very least Oscar nods if not the Oscar itself then I would be more than happy to recommend to you such movies as Dances With Wolves, GoodFellas, or even Ghost should you be wanting one for a date night. On the other hand, if you are looking for a slice of cinema from that same year that is a fun, lively, and yes occasionally terrifying viewing experience to be had that also comes equipped with the added bonus of being fairly well-made. Sure it isn’t perfection by any stretch of the imagination, but after seeing what a town bearing that name winds up having to go through in this particular story….well maybe that isn’t such a bad thing not to be after all! Make of that what thou will dear reader! On a scale of 1-5 I give Tremors “90” a solid 3.5 out of 5.
