Okay this might be very controversial but hear me out alright? Everything else in the movie besides this one mesmerizing performance is more of a 6/10. There's really not much else to say about it, it's just a perfectly average kid's film that does it's job at distracting you for an hour and a half. But you may be saying "BuT yOu gAvE tHe MoViE a 10 oUt Of 10!!!" I know I must be coming off as contradictory, but the thing that makes this such a memorable piece of film is all thanks to one performance, a performance that still sticks with me even after 11 years of life. I am of course talking about arguably the best antagonist ever put to cinema, "The Verminator".
The Verminator is easily the most brilliantly written character I've ever witnessed with my raw naked caveman eyes. There are many reasons as to why he is. First off, let's analyze the way he is first introduced to us (the audience). His character is called on to another mission and arrives in a white heavily armored convoy. Almost as if it were to portray the Verminator as a Grim Reaper like figure arriving on his black steed. The camera switches to his hefty boots slamming against the pavement as we then get a nice back shot which is still concealing his face which makes the reveal all the more rewarding and atmospheric. The camera then pans up to his face, and it is even more horrifying then anything you've could've imagined in the deepest darkest part of your psyche. He then makes himself known, carrying all the confidence in the world on his shoulders as he says "The Solution, is standing before you." As he identifies the possum character he slides on his massive latex gloves. The fear being portrayed in Ozzie (the possum character) is an exact portrayal as how the audience feels as he enters the scene. Ozzie later runs away out of pure terror but this does not cause the Verminator to doubt himself as this is just another game to him that he will surely win as he as done multiple times in the past. It is made very clear that the Verminator is not only an immediate threat to the central characters, but as an ancient elemental force that can be fought off sure but can never truly be stopped.
Not only is the Verminator a brutal and ruthless antagonist to our characters, but he is also intentionally made as a complex character as well. It's easy to see why you would call the Verminator a Villain. We are supposed to be rooting for these little animals after all. But in the eyes of the grand scheme of things, is he really a "bad guy"? The filmmakers I believe left it open for interpretation. I for one believe he is not a "bad guy" in the traditional sense as he just an entity performing a task that he knows best. You could easily turn the argument on it's head and say the animals are the real antagonists of the story as they do nothing but infest and steal from the humans. Which would mean the Verminator is an advocate for Justice or even a force of Balance. He is simply restoring order to a corrupt and unbalanced system.
So all in all, the Verminator is not one of the best characters ever brought to life (that would be an understatement), He is simply THE best character ever brought to life. Which just thinking about it is kind of sad that his only appearance was in a mediocre kids movie. Which is why I believe it is in Dreamworks best interest to make a R rated solo Verminator film and have it be an in-depth character study of the Verminator in his younger years who slowly discovers his passion as an exterminator and creates a secondary identity for himself until it becomes his primary identity. I understand that many of you don't want his character potentially ruined by corporate thugs but trust me, sometimes lighting does strike twice. They did it once they can surely do it again. Please Dreamworks, don't limit your ultimate creation to a forgettable unsuccessful film, he deserves more.....
The Verminator is easily the most brilliantly written character I've ever witnessed with my raw naked caveman eyes. There are many reasons as to why he is. First off, let's analyze the way he is first introduced to us (the audience). His character is called on to another mission and arrives in a white heavily armored convoy. Almost as if it were to portray the Verminator as a Grim Reaper like figure arriving on his black steed. The camera switches to his hefty boots slamming against the pavement as we then get a nice back shot which is still concealing his face which makes the reveal all the more rewarding and atmospheric. The camera then pans up to his face, and it is even more horrifying then anything you've could've imagined in the deepest darkest part of your psyche. He then makes himself known, carrying all the confidence in the world on his shoulders as he says "The Solution, is standing before you." As he identifies the possum character he slides on his massive latex gloves. The fear being portrayed in Ozzie (the possum character) is an exact portrayal as how the audience feels as he enters the scene. Ozzie later runs away out of pure terror but this does not cause the Verminator to doubt himself as this is just another game to him that he will surely win as he as done multiple times in the past. It is made very clear that the Verminator is not only an immediate threat to the central characters, but as an ancient elemental force that can be fought off sure but can never truly be stopped.
Not only is the Verminator a brutal and ruthless antagonist to our characters, but he is also intentionally made as a complex character as well. It's easy to see why you would call the Verminator a Villain. We are supposed to be rooting for these little animals after all. But in the eyes of the grand scheme of things, is he really a "bad guy"? The filmmakers I believe left it open for interpretation. I for one believe he is not a "bad guy" in the traditional sense as he just an entity performing a task that he knows best. You could easily turn the argument on it's head and say the animals are the real antagonists of the story as they do nothing but infest and steal from the humans. Which would mean the Verminator is an advocate for Justice or even a force of Balance. He is simply restoring order to a corrupt and unbalanced system.
So all in all, the Verminator is not one of the best characters ever brought to life (that would be an understatement), He is simply THE best character ever brought to life. Which just thinking about it is kind of sad that his only appearance was in a mediocre kids movie. Which is why I believe it is in Dreamworks best interest to make a R rated solo Verminator film and have it be an in-depth character study of the Verminator in his younger years who slowly discovers his passion as an exterminator and creates a secondary identity for himself until it becomes his primary identity. I understand that many of you don't want his character potentially ruined by corporate thugs but trust me, sometimes lighting does strike twice. They did it once they can surely do it again. Please Dreamworks, don't limit your ultimate creation to a forgettable unsuccessful film, he deserves more.....