You can tell when a director gets the feel for a location right. Obviously, visuals are important. The settings should look like they do in the pictures. Thankfully, that is pretty easy with today’s movie magic. It is when the people feel authentic that a movie feels most accurate.
Snatchers is a comedy sci-fi/horror that wears its influences on its sleeve. The movie follows the residents of a neighborhood in Brooklyn. After a meteorite lands in a Mennonite cornfield, it becomes difficult to tell the aliens apart from a normal Brooklyn weirdo.
The plot is straight and to the point. It is a throwback. Snatchers is filled with the neon hues seen throughout horror movies of the 1980s. The plot and story beats will be very familiar. There is a charm in the simplicity and corny humor.
Snatchers also includes a lovable cast. This includes a man who works for the Food and Drug Administration but dresses like a man in black, the lesbian couple who owns the food truck for food trucks and inadvertently start the madness, and the investigative journalist who is working undercover and is not sure what she wants to discover. All of these characters are well rounded and fun to watch.
On paper, the movie sounds like one of those that try to be bad. It is more than one of those films that rely on “look at how bad we are” antics, however. There is genuine comedy to be found in Snatchers. Much of it is thanks to the great job director John Kingman and writer Guy Patton are able to do with the script.
Snatchers has an authentic feel to it. Even if a person has never been to Brooklyn, they will not feel lost. What would seem like in jokes and references targeted at a certain group will go over well with anyone who watches. Who has not known a pretentious would be artist? The setting may be specific to a neighborhood in Brooklyn, but the comedy is universal.
The film also deals with some important themes. Snatchers is filled with goofy comedy, but it also tackles gentrification and immigration. While these are serious issues, the film also handles them in a humorous way. Nothing is ever downplayed; Kingman and Patton just take a satirical look at things.
It is very important for a movie to know its limits. One of the main reasons for film failure is the attempt to try to pack too much in. Snatchers does a great job of delivering a funny story while also touching on issues of the day. The jokes are never overbearing and the story is something all audiences will understand.
Join the AIPT Patreon
Want to take our relationship to the next level? Become a patron today to gain access to exclusive perks, such as:
- ❌ Remove all ads on the website
- 💬 Join our Discord community, where we chat about the latest news and releases from everything we cover on AIPT
- 📗 Access to our monthly book club
- 📦 Get a physical trade paperback shipped to you every month
- 💥 And more!
You must be logged in to post a comment.