Review of Mulberry Street (1990) by Shawn E — 20 Feb 2008

"Mulberry Street" is very much like a zombie movie, just, instead of actual zombies, we have strange man-rat creatures instead. The basic framework of your typical zombie movie is present here. You start with an outbreak. Then you have creatures that attack people and nibble on them a bit. Then, the victims themselves turn into creatures that then attack more people. Lather. Rinse. Repeat. In this aspect, the film isn't terribly original, but, in the end, that really doesn't matter much to me. I'll watch pretty much any zombie or pseudo-zombie film that comes my way, and as long as the film delivers in the blood and gore department or at least gives me some nasty creatures to look at, I'm more or less satisfied.

Unfortunately, all of the money scenes in which this nastiness should be showcased are shot in such a way that the viewer can't really tell what's going on. These scenes are either too dark, too close to the action, too choppy, or some combination of the three, and the result is just a frustrating mess. This seems to be a bit of a trend in recent horror films, and I have to say that I don't like it. I don't like it one bit. It really is a shame since, during the precious few times that I actually got a decent look the creatures, they seemed to be pretty grotesque. Disappointing.

Where this film really shines, though, is in the characters and the gritty feel that the director brings to the film. The film introduces the viewer to many of the residents of Mulberry Street and really takes the time to flesh their characters out a bit before the real action begins. Each of the actors do a great job in making their characters feel genuine and relatable, individuals who, as a result, come off as much more than just potential dinner for the rat people. It also makes the somewhat bleak ending pack quite an emotional punch. Along with the strength of the characters themselves, the film has a stark, gritty, unpolished look to it that adds to the feeling that one is looking through a window into a world filled with actual people not just fictional characters.