Review of Grabbers (2012) by Thomas W — 06 Nov 2013

This is another one for the British humor enthusiasts as its offbeat style of humor might not go down as smoothly as some of the pints served up in the movie to general American audiences who don't always get the wit behind British comedy.

On idyllic Erin Island off the coast of Ireland, strange things are afoot as dead whales begin washing ashore and entire fishing boat crews go missing. Unbeknownst to the town's denizens, a strange light that fell from the sky a few nights before brought with it an alien species that was going to wreck havoc on the peaceful island and its heavy-drinking citizenry (luckily the drinking thing plays into their favor!).

Newly arrived to-the-isle police officer Lisa Nolan (Ruth Bradley - Flyboys) finds herself in the midst of a crises she tries to solve with often-tipsy local officer Ciaran O'Shea (Richard Coyle - Prince of Persia) and local scientist Smith (Russell Tovey - The History Boys).

When Paddy, a local elder and yet another town drunk, survives an attack, it leads the trio come to the realization that the "grabbers" -- as the mysterious tentacled species are being called for their penchant of grabbing its victims before beheading them -- have an aversion to alcohol and they advise the town's citizens to get VERY sauced in the local pub (!!) to stay out of harm's way.

While the party of the century (or at least their lifetimes) is being held at the pub ran by married couple Brian and Una (David Pearse [The Guard] and Bronagh Gallagher [Albert Nobbs]) some things go as planned .

.. while others do not as the three try to figure out how to rid themselves of these alien beasts that range from cute, little tentacled hatchlings to ginormous and hungry monstrous mother-creature. The film does conclude a bit too easily in my opinion and I could have done without the inserted moments of (very forced) romance it thought it needed; but drinking to one's health brings on new meaning in Grabbers, a small monster-comedy with plenty of laughs that is worth a watch.