Retro Horror Review ‘Grabbers’: Aliens Vs. Booze in this Irish Horror-Comedy

For the St. Patrick’s Day season, and in the spirit of the Shamrock I wanted to highlight Grabbers, a 2012 alien horror comedy. Directed by Jon Wright (Unwelcome) from a script by Kevin Lehane and starring Richard Coyle (Coupling), Ruth Bradley (Ted Lasso), Lalor Roddy (Boys from County Hell), and Russell Tovey (Being Human).

Erin Island (think Amity Island, but Irish), a small fishing community in Ireland, is about to have some uninvited guests after a mysterious object falls from space, landing just off their shores. The Chief of police is headed on holiday, leaving only the perpetually drunk Garda (police) Ciaran O’Shea (Coyle) in charge. Due to his inability to be trusted, the Chief brings in Garda Lisa Nolan (Bradley) as a backup from Dublin. 

When full-time drunk and part-time fisherman Paddy Barrett (Roddy) catches a “sea monster” in his lobster cage, he decides to bring it home and keep it in his bathtub, as one does. After it attacks him unsuccessfully, he gets it to the local Marine ecologist Dr. Adam Smith (Tovey). Unable to identify the creature, he determines two things; the being needs water and blood to survive. Water is all around them as it is an island, and a large storm is brewing. Blood shouldn’t be an issue either as the town folk suspects nothing; however, what if that blood was tainted? By a favorite pastime here on the island? 

When a pod of whales washes ashore covered in slash marks, and unexplained disappearances begin to pile up, O’Shea and Nolan begin to suspect their sleepy little village might be on the verge of something sinister. As Nolan so cheerfully puts it, “it’s always the quiet places where the mad shit happens.”

With the storm on the horizon, and a newly discovered giant daddy alien along with a few hundred eggs ready to hatch, the heroes must devise a plan to distract the community and keep them out of harm while trying to destroy the aliens. It seems simple enough, but when you’re armed with a super soaker filled with gasoline, flare gun, zippo, and a board with a nail in it, things might be a little tricky. 

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I had a lot of fun with Grabbers, there are little homages, either purposefully or not, to Jaws, Shaun of the Dead, and Gremlins. They even get in the obligatory Night of the Living Dead playing on a tv in the background. Has anyone ever actually counted how many times it has appeared? The pacing is quick but not rushed. It is a silly creature feature that is elevated by the cast, the gorgeous locations, and the creature effects themselves. In less capable hands, this movie could have been ridiculous. 

Speaking of the creature, I love the design of the grabbers themselves. They give them the same name in the movie. Everyone hates the idea of it, but it sticks. Alien in nature, it’s a combination of an Octopus and a leech. Using CGI for the most part, with a few practical puppets for autopsy scenes, the creature looks fantastic. Many shots we get are obscured or at night, but unlike some lower-budget creature features where the graphics take you out of the moment, these monsters come off as really polished and only add to the enjoyment. 

Richard Coyle and Ruth Bradley have incredible chemistry together. Playing the odd couple, which in lesser hands can be tiresome, their charisma and charm make them incredibly watchable. Their ability to show the layers of their characters with glances and body language is all that much more impressive when we get to know their backstories. It’s also some of the best “drunk” actings I’ve seen, authentic in both the celebratory and addiction aspects of drinking. 

With a fantastic ensemble of incredible talent, fun set pieces, hilarious moments, and unique creature designs, Grabbers is Ireland’s response to films such as Attack the Block and At Worlds End. Jon Wright crafted a tale of the worst people you’d want in an alien invasion, but realistically the team you’re more likely to assemble in the battle for earth. Just remember to keep your blood alcohol levels at .2 or higher, and you might survive long enough to hit up the pub the following night. 3.5/5 

You can rent Grabbers on Prime Video for your St. Patrick’s day viewing. Check out the trailer below and be sure to follow ScaryNerd for all things horror, sci-fi, fantasy and everything in between.

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