I've always been a huge fan of horror movies which feature giant animals on the loose. There are so many of them out there I'm not going to even begin trying to list those that I like. I will give some limited props to 1989's Gnaw - Food Of The Gods Part 2, a film which, like the 1976 movie Food Of The Gods, takes a look at what happens when various animals consume an experimental chemical which causes unchecked growth. Like the '76 film, Gnaw-Food Of The Gods Part 2 employs rats, and lots of them, as the film's proverbial "bad guys". These rodents consume tomatoes that have been fertilized with a scientist's experimental growth concoction. The rats, after attacking a group of students engaged in trying to destroy the laboratory in which they have been caged, escape to the underground sewer system of a college campus where they proceed to grow as big as large canines and with a generally hostile disposition. The college dean predictably turns a blind eye to the rat problem on campus and a ceremony is held to christen a brand new athletic facility despite the infestation and menace of the enlarged and vicious rats. The rats crash the ceremony and all hell breaks loose. There is the expected gore and blood in this film, mostly from rats chewing off body parts of victims. The effects of these creatures is not what I would call great but they are serviceable and the film itself is campy and never takes itself too seriously. One of the scariest sequences in this film, for me was the young boy who experienced an unnatural growth spurt courtesy of this experimental drug, especially the ending(no spoilers).
The DVD I recently purchased of this movie is fairly basic, presented in a 1.33.1 full frame aspect ratio and with only scene selection option. Luckily I have a "16.9" widescreen viewing option on one of my televisions that I used to reduce the stretch effect from a 1.33.1 full frame image.To see this film for sale on R1 DVD at Amazon click the DVD cover art image above.
