Deadly Eyes (1983)

Memorable, crazy movie

It's the kind of movie you'll want to see a second time with someone who hasn't seen it yet, to remember what it was like to watch it for the first time.

By the time the dramatic fireworks start popping off, each one feels earned.

The storyline feels a little thin and moth-eaten in parts but this sequel is plenty of fun.

Interestingly enough, after this film came out in 82, it was immediately followed by Of Unknown Origin in 83 and then Rats in 84. What kind of originator of a minor genre craze could disappoint? Um, well, this one.Easily the weakest of the rat films I've seen. The storyline diverges all over the place, forgets plot lines, crisscrosses with other ones at random only to forget them again and altogether makes little sense. This isn't surprising considering the credited sources. It's based on a novel, which was turned into a screenplay draft and then that draft was re-drafted into another screenplay. And all of it got mashed together into this unholy mess.That wouldn't even be that big of a deal if the movie at least delivered some actual thrills and fun but it can't be bothered to do that. All the giant rats are actually small dogs in rat suits, and they're adorable to the extent you recognize them as such. The "terror" scenes are poorly plotted and lack imagination or tension. There's no B-movie bloodletting (Robert Clouse probably thought himself better than that, and he may well be, but saddled with this screenplay he should have known better).

A disappointingly weak adaptation of James Herbert's nasty novel of the same name, this plodding movie strings together a number of passable action sequences of people being attacked by giant rats with some dull characterisation involving everyday run-of-the-mill characters that it's difficult to care two hoots about. The movie has a cold, clinically detached feel to it which oddly seems to be the case with most horror movies filmed in Canada - check out Cronenberg's early work if you don't believe me. This opinion comes from a big fan of monster movies, too, so be prepared to rate it even lower if you're not a fun of such fare.From the twelve minute (!) pre-credit sequence to the supposedly shocking freeze-frame of a papier-mâché rat "head" lunging at the camera at the end of the film, you won't find much to shock or terrify you with this movie. It may just send you asleep though. While the rat attack sequences are undoubtedly the highlights of the movie and contain some nicely gory touches, most are filmed in too-dark locations to disguise the fact that the oversize rats are simply dogs dressed in rat costumes. I know that the film got a lot of stick for having dogs as the villains, but for me the effect is pretty realistic in long-shot.The increasingly bizarre murders are initiated by a genuinely shocking attack on a young baby, followed by an old man, a professor, a kid in a bowling alley and even patrons of a cinema (showing GAME OF DEATH of all things) getting chewed by the pesky rodents. Events culminate with the rats loose in a subway and a train containing the mayor and guests of an official opening party breaks down and everybody gets bloodily massacred. The film's token hero, his love interest, and child find themselves besieged by the ravenous critters before escaping with the help of a well-timed explosion, and then the film just suddenly freeze-frames at a downbeat moment with no finalisation or epilogue to finish it off. It looks like they ran out of film! The lack of appealing characters really hurts the film too, and makes it difficult to care. Sam Groom, the film's lead, is a good actor but his teacher, while well characterised, is just boring and ordinary and displays little heroic tendencies. The rest of the unknown cast are okay, but nobody really shines with the exception of token star Scatman Crothers, who ends up being just as unlucky as he was in THE SHINING. Even the gore effects, while nicely bloody, are only shown in quick glimpses perhaps to disguise the low budget. I found this to be a watchable film but a distinctly unimpressive one which is already beginning to fade from my memory, despite the fact I only watched it yesterday. I'm sure that in a week's time all I'll have will be a fleeting memory...

This is very loosely based on Classic James Herbert Novel Rats , I heard nothing but really bad stuff comment about this movie, It taken me while to see it!As I been in Killer Rats movie mood lately , I gave this go.You know what, I actually it enjoyed it, I thought it was so much better then I thought it was going to be.We know no movie is better then any book. no matter how good the movie is never come close to the book.I found this really well paced it as some really good attack scenes in this movie, some very bloody moment in this movie not not gory.Those are some big ass rats in this movie (I know their dog in rats suit) They didn't look half that of bad.The acting was really good in this movie for this kind of movie from the whole cast. I didn't like some of the sub plot were a little boring at, Girl in love with teacher, they should have skip that, we could got more Rat actions.The loved the way the movie ended 7 out of 10. I had fun watching this movie!

the deadly eyes is the king of all monster rat movies,if you overlook the fact that they are dogs dressed to look like rats,sort of like the killer shrews(59)but its downright scary and creepy,and the music is creepy as well.made in Canada in 1983 the deadly eyes delivers some real good scares.a good cast;Sam groom,scatman crothers,Sara botsford, and sexy blonde Lisa langlois(the nest and many other horror films) the scenes of the rats eating people are downright gory and disturbing. the movie was'nt well received by critics,its no masterpiece but its a good killer rat movie.heres some trivia,what movie was playing at the movie theater during a crucial scene?well heres one hint.golden harvest made the movie.and golden harvest made many kung fu/karate movies. many with the late Bruce lee.watch this scary little gem for the answer. i recommend this to all fans of;when animals attack.8 out of 10.