"The Burrowers" may not be on the level of, say, "Tremors", in its placement of a creature feature in a rural type of setting, but it isn't bad at all either. It does sort of suffer from a "been there, done that" feeling most of the time, although the way it puts a horror genre on a classic "The Searchers" type of Western plot is commendable. Where it works best is in the creation of a period feel, from the acting to the few locations used; mostly, it's filmed in the wide open spaces, and establishing that feeling of isolation can always help in a horror movie.
A rural family is set upon by mysterious forces, and when only some of the bodies remain, some of their neighbours determine to find the supposed survivors. Among this group of searchers are Fergus Coffey (Karl Geary), who intended to marry Maryanne (Jocelin Donahue of "The House of the Devil"), one of the missing. They assume their people have been abducted by Indians, but are in for a shock when the perpetrators turn out to be something FAR worse.
Writer / director J.T. Petty has his movie unfold at a deliberate pace, so some genre fans may grow a little impatient waiting for the good stuff. However, this does allow the actors time to create some well defined characters. Coffey, for one, is a basically good guy, but is shown to be fatally impulsive. Sean Patrick Thomas is quite engaging in the role of Callaghan the cook. Doug Hutchison, best known for playing Percy in "The Green Mile", adds another memorable interpretation of an incredibly unlikable part to his repertoire. Veteran Clancy Brown is solid in a tough but stolid role; however, he disappears from the movie a little too soon. The music (by Joseph LoDuca) is good as is the gorgeous widescreen photography. The creatures themselves don't sport particularly innovative design, but there is at least one entertaining aspect to what they do with their victims. The ending, too, falls short of being really satisfying. Still, Petty and company deserve some credit for preventing it from being wholly predictable, and for their blunt and honest depiction of the in-your-face racism of the time.
Taking everything into account, one could do better than this and one could do a lot worse. Horror junkies should find it reasonably entertaining.
Seven out of 10.
A rural family is set upon by mysterious forces, and when only some of the bodies remain, some of their neighbours determine to find the supposed survivors. Among this group of searchers are Fergus Coffey (Karl Geary), who intended to marry Maryanne (Jocelin Donahue of "The House of the Devil"), one of the missing. They assume their people have been abducted by Indians, but are in for a shock when the perpetrators turn out to be something FAR worse.
Writer / director J.T. Petty has his movie unfold at a deliberate pace, so some genre fans may grow a little impatient waiting for the good stuff. However, this does allow the actors time to create some well defined characters. Coffey, for one, is a basically good guy, but is shown to be fatally impulsive. Sean Patrick Thomas is quite engaging in the role of Callaghan the cook. Doug Hutchison, best known for playing Percy in "The Green Mile", adds another memorable interpretation of an incredibly unlikable part to his repertoire. Veteran Clancy Brown is solid in a tough but stolid role; however, he disappears from the movie a little too soon. The music (by Joseph LoDuca) is good as is the gorgeous widescreen photography. The creatures themselves don't sport particularly innovative design, but there is at least one entertaining aspect to what they do with their victims. The ending, too, falls short of being really satisfying. Still, Petty and company deserve some credit for preventing it from being wholly predictable, and for their blunt and honest depiction of the in-your-face racism of the time.
Taking everything into account, one could do better than this and one could do a lot worse. Horror junkies should find it reasonably entertaining.
Seven out of 10.