Critters 4

Critters 4
Directed by	Rupert Harvey
Produced by	Rupert Harvey
Written by	Rupert Harvey Barry Opper Joseph Lyle David J. Schow
Starring	Don Keith Opper Terrence Mann Angela Bassett Brad Dourif Eric Da Re
Music by	Peter Manning Robinson
Cinematography	Thomas L. Callaway
Editing by	Terry Stokes
Distributed by	New Line Cinema
Release date(s)	October 14, 1992
Running time	100 min.
Country	United States
Language	English

Critters 4 is a 1992 science fiction comedy horror film starring Don Keith Opper, Terrence Mann, Angela Bassett and Brad Dourif. It was directed by Rupert Harvey and written by Harvey, Barry Opper, Joseph Lyle and David J. Schow. It is the fourth and seemingly final film in the Critters series. Unlike the first three films, this installment takes place not on earth but on a future space station.

Plot

Taking place almost exactly after Critters 3, Charlie McFadden places the last two remaining Crite eggs inside the preservation capsule as instructed by Ug. Charlie is somehow also locked inside and sent into space, where he remains in hibernation until a salvage ship finds the pod in the year 2045.

The crew (which includes Captain Rick, Fran, Bernie, Al Bert, Dr. McCormick and young Ethan) reluctantly report the discovery to the Terracorp Council, upon discovering their old logo on the side of the pod. They then go to an abandoned Terracorp station to await the arrival of the council. The station is actually on its last legs and will blow up within a month or so. Furthermore, the station is controlled by a computer called Angela, which only takes orders if you give the opposite instructions.

A selfish Rick however decides to open the pod early, freeing Charlie but also letting loose two young Crites which kill Rick and escape, while the crew constantly bicker about where to go from there. After a close call in a waste disposal unit, Charlie and Ethan are rescued by Bernie. Charlie learns from the others that he is no longer in 1992, and that everybody he knew on earth is now dead. Ethan finds a lab coat containing a keycard. But just like Rick earlier, Bernie strays from the group, takes the keycard with him and is then killed by the now adult Critters inside a pharmacy room. Dr.McCormick tries to stop the Critter but is killed herself.

Following an attack from a lone Crite, Charlie carelessly uses an antique gun to kill it, but ends up deactivating the ship with only one bullet remaining. From then on, the crew are sitting ducks. Ethan then dashes off to search for the remaining Crite, shouting at Al Bert. Terracorp arrives shortly thereafter, but they are not there to negotiate payment. They simply want the Crite eggs returned to them. Ug, now a corrupt businessman going by the name Counselor Tetra, kills an uncooperative Al Bert, and threatens to kill Fran next unless the eggs are returned.

Charlie is upset, barely accepting that his old friend has now become a traitorous villain. Tetra sends his guards to find the Crites, but the nuclear reactor begins a 10 minute self-destruction sequence. Ethan lures the guards into a room full of genetically altered Critters, which kill the guards. After killing the lead Crite, Ethan is threatened by Tetra at gunpoint. Charlie re-appears and shoots his former friend without any hesitation. With the Critters now extinct, Charlie, Ethan and Fran take Ug/Tetra's ship and begin their delayed flight back to Earth.

Cast

• Don Keith Opper as Charlie McFadden
• Terrence Mann as Ug/Counselor Tetra
• Angela Bassett as Fran
• Brad Dourif as Al Bert
• Anne Ramsay as Dr. McCormick
• Paul Whitthorne as Ethan
• Anders Hove as Rick
• Eric DaRe as Bernie
• Martine Beswick as the voice of Angela

Notes

Some of the space scenes are taken from the previous Critter films, as well as the 1982 film Android which also starred Don Keith Opper.

Release

The film was released direct to video in the US by New Line Home Video in October 1992.

In 2003, New Line Home Entertainment released the film on DVD. The film was re-released in a set containing all 4 Critters films on DVD by Warner Bros. in 2010.

References

External links

• Critters 4 at the Internet Movie Database
• Critters 4 at AllRovi