Critters – WISE Score & Parent Review | Screenwise

Critters

Name: Screenwise
Author: Screenwise

movie1986

28%

WISE Score

Avg. Tomatometer

Knockoff Gremlins with toothy alien furballs eating their way through small-town America—campy 80s horror that hasn't aged well.

6.1/10

52%

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Critters

movie

PG-13, 1986

28%

WISE Score

Avg. Tomatometer

Knockoff Gremlins with toothy alien furballs eating their way through small-town America—campy 80s horror that hasn't aged well.

6.1

52%

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6.1/10

52%

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Screenwise Verdict

Let's be real: Critters is a Gremlins ripoff that wasn't great even in 1986, and it's aged like milk. The premise—carnivorous alien furballs terrorize a farm—could be fun, but the execution is slow, the effects are dated, and the scares don't land for modern audiences.

The ratings tell the story: 45% audience score on Rotten Tomatoes, middling reviews across the board. This is nostalgia bait for Gen X parents, not something your kids will actually want to watch.

If you have a 13-year-old who's obsessed with retro horror and practical effects, maybe this is a curiosity. For everyone else, skip it. There are better creature features (Tremors, Gremlins itself) and better family sci-fi options that haven't become unwatchable relics.

Age Fit

Common Sense Media says 13+, which feels right given the violence and horror elements. But honestly, most modern teens will find this too dated and slow to enjoy—it's really for nostalgic adults or teens with a specific taste for retro schlock.

WISE Breakdown

Wholesome

This is a horror-comedy about small alien creatures that eat people. The tone is campy 80s schlock with dark humor, not emotionally healthy family viewing. Characters are mostly reactive victims rather than models of cooperation. The pacing is chaotic with constant threat and violence.

Imaginative

The premise of small carnivorous alien furballs pursued by shape-shifting bounty hunters has creativity, and the practical effects work shows inventive creature design for its era. However, it's derivative of Gremlins (1984) and doesn't invite much viewer participation or creative thinking—it's pure B-movie spectacle.

Safe

Common Sense Media rates this 13+. The Crites are violent, eating people and causing bloody deaths. There's profanity, some sexual content typical of 80s horror, and genuinely scary creature attacks. This is absolutely not something a young child should stumble into—it's designed to frighten and shock.

Enriching

This is pure popcorn horror with no meaningful themes, character development, or takeaways. It's entertainment in the most disposable sense—no skill-building, no empathy development, no insights. The 'lesson' is maybe 'aliens are bad' which isn't exactly profound.

Parent Info

✓

Why It Might Be Great

If your teen loves retro creature features and practical effects, this delivers campy B-movie fun
The absurd premise and over-the-top violence might land as comedy for the right audience
Could be a gateway to discussing how horror movie trends and special effects have evolved
Short runtime means the cheese doesn't overstay its welcome

⚠

What to Watch For

Graphic violence including people being eaten, blood, and death—this is rated for teens 13+ for good reason
Sexual content and language typical of 80s horror (innuendo, brief nudity, profanity)
The pacing and effects feel extremely dated—most modern kids will find this boring or unintentionally funny
Genuinely scary creature attacks that could frighten younger or sensitive viewers

Conversation Starters

"Why do you think people in the 80s loved these kinds of creature movies so much?"
"How do the special effects compare to what you see in movies today?"
"Would this movie work if they remade it now, or is it too silly?"
"What makes something scary versus just gross or funny?"

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