Woodyanders Review of Skeeter

Skeeter (1993)

An enjoyably inane giant killer mutant insect creature feature hoot

[8/10 · 5 January 2007]

Illegally dumped toxic waste causes a bunch of mosquitoes to mutate into huge lethal bloodsucking critters who naturally prey on the local yokel residents of the sleepy hick desert town of Clear Sky. Capably directed with lip-smacking panache by Clark Brandon, with a steady pace, bright, crisp cinematography by John Lambert (the blurry green-tinted mosquito POV shots are a total riot!), deliciously grotesque and disgusting enormous insect monsters, likable well-drawn characters, a lively, rattling, harmonic score by David Lawrence, and a nicely spooky and mysterious atmosphere, this baby rates as a whole lot of entertainingly inane horror creature feature fun. Moreover, the strong cast helps a lot: Jim Youngs and Tracy Griffith are solid and engaging as the main protagonists, plus there's cool supporting performances by Charles Napier as the corrupt macho redneck sheriff, William Sanderson as an affable government health inspector, Jay Robinson as a blithely amoral evil land developer, Eloy Casados as a noble Native American deputy, and John Goff as Griffith's weary rancher dad. The ever-flaky Michael J. Pollard contributes a funny turn as a resident eccentric. George "Buck" Flower has a nice bit as a hillbilly hunter. Granted, the special effects are really hokey and the story is thoroughly cornball, but these admittedly silly elements are part and parcel to the picture's endearingly goofy charm.