Tremors

Many nights as of late, Olivia and I will sit in the living room, turn on the tv, and watch “The Office” or “Gilmore Girls” depending on who holds the remote. We both know our selected show by heart so viewing it becomes just a casual relaxing evening spent chatting or silently getting mad at Reddit comment sections. On the rarer occasions one of us will put on a movie, without any real intentions to focus deeply, but to have something to stimulate the inactive evening. A couple nights ago, I selected Netfilx's newly added, Kevin Bacon classic, "Tremors," and boy was this the right idea. I knew a little going into it but mainly just wanted something fresh I could chat over and enjoy my imported discount pilsner. However, unsurprisingly to anyone who is familiar with "Tremors", the movie enthralled me with one of the most enjoyable and thrilling movies I've seen in a while. Not only did this movie keep me rooting for the characters from start to finish, Olivia would go on to fully abandon her phone by the tenth minute (a rare occasion for nights like these and an even rarer for an odd movie like this).

"Tremors" is a movie that cannot grow old. Every character has their highlight. Every line drives the plot. However, the most impressive thing about the movie is how smart the script is and how they can tell a story both visually and through dialogue. Yes, a movie about giant worms attacking a small village of hicks has a very smart script; and that script, along with charismatic acting and impressive effects, is what makes "Tremors" a classic. The movie shows that you can have fun and not surrender quality. The story is a race between who can outsmart each other, but the catch is that one of those two sides and a quartet of killer worms. As a viewer, we are on the race to outsmart the worms along with Kevin Bacon and company, but the worms have a reply for every route we can find. The characters are cunning too, but the dire circumstances have put them in a position where only the cleverest solutions will make victory even possible. This is where the genius in "Tremors" shines. Every plot point is wonderfully set up, and there are subtle moments on re-watching where you can find setups you missed on previous viewings. These go overlooked not because the movie is lacking in execution, but because we, and the characters, are behind on the game of wit.

I could go on and on about this movie, and I've only just been introduced to it. At this point though, I don't think I can say anything that hasn't been previous stated by the many other fans that gave their reviews before me. This is not really a thriller but a thrill ride. So much of this film you will find yourself rooting for your favorite characters, but the best parts are those small victories on the path to the end. Those small victories have some of the best payoffs I've seen in a while. A truly fun movie!

5/5