Fantastic 80s fun. So cheesy, it's good.
So much fun. Entertaining and fast paced, this Jaws-rip off delivers. Robert Forester, in particular, grounds the film and keeps a late 70s early 80s vibe. If you haven't seen this, take a chance and have a fun evening.
Talking about a sleazy and entertaining movie. The best way to describe this movie is that it’s a “B” rated movie, that had a bigger budget than a “B” rated movie. This is a movie that you have to watch and be entertained on the surface level for what it is.
This is a fun movie about a little alligator who gets flushed down a toilet and once he's all grown up, gets his revenge. Well, actually he's just really hungry. "Alligator" is another "Jaws" knock-off but it's one of the better ones. If the story beats aren't enough proof of this, check out the musical queues when the gator attacks. You'll recognize it. Also, this movie borrows heavily from Jerry Goldsmith's score for "The Invaders", a second-season episode of the original Twilight Zone.
The special effects are actually pretty good. There's a mix of practical effects that use a model for close-ups of the gator, there's some use of miniatures, and actual shots of real alligators. Those live shots aren't stock footage, they seem to be specifically done for this movie.
Writer John Sayles created some very likeable characters. David (Robert Forster) and Marisa (Robin Riker) play a cop and a scientist who battle with each other at first and then end up in a romance. It all happens quickly but it feels very natural.
There's a lot of exploring sewers with flashlights and there's a high body count, which gets surprisingly gory. The movie might have been better had it taken a more serious tone, but that likely would've taken away from the fun. And that fun is not just the banter between characters, but the gator attacks themselves. It's all mostly ridiculous. There's lots of explosions and accidents. Check out the attack at the wedding reception, which is way over-the-top.
To some, this could be considered a B-movie, but the characterizations and the effects are too good to label it that way.
Shout by GreeneidalVIP 9BlockedParent2023-02-03T13:30:32Z
A creature feature with dark and creepy sewer tunnels and a giant alligator??? Sign me up any day of the week. This was a LOT of fun, even though it felt a little understated compared to other creature feature films of the same era. Of course, there were a few things to pick on, but who cares. For a low-budget creature feature, Alligator does what it was made to do... Entertain.