Two friends, Julia (Chynna Walker) and Kyle (Richard Rennie) are on a road trip to get Julia to an important show she’s featuring in (stand-up comedy). Kyle is along for the ride to help drive and provide general support where possible. But while driving, their car gets a nasty flat tyre which is irreparable. With darkness about to come over the night skies, Julia and Kyle have no choice but to seek help. They find a nearby ghost town museum and decide to look around with hopes of finding a person who might be able to help.
The museum is empty and creepy to wander around, but thankfully they meet a man named Ray (Mel Made), who offers them help and hospitality for the night with promises of helping them get back on the road in the morning. The stranger also seems to be a dinosaur fanatic. Julia and Kyle are given a caravan to sleep in for the night but are soon disturbed by creepy and strange noises. Plus, it doesn’t help that the caravan itself is just a disgusting mess. They decide to bail and go elsewhere, but it’s too late. A prehistoric creature is now hunting them! Can the two escape the town and survive the night?
Claw is best described as a horror that also tries to push hard for comedy. Sure, the plot and concept may seem over the top, but I’m pleased to say that the filmmakers here have embraced it and don’t deny it. The fun and joy that the lead actors have in playing their roles is also evident. Easily fitting into the category of it’s so bad it’s good, Claw aims to be fun and brainless. I’m confident some audiences will adore this film even if it is far from perfect.
The reason for a prehistoric creature being around to hunt them is, of course, vague, but do movie lovers need much in the way of plot to watch our leads try to survive a raptor attack? It’s a typical setup that we’ve seen before in horror- a car breaks down, the leads visit a stranger’s house, and a horrific threat is soon introduced. The different ingredient here is simply the large raptor who is thirsty to hunt. The pacing is slow, to begin with, and naturally, the excitement comes through watching our leads be chased later in the film.
Unfortunately, horror and comedy elements are the weaker aspects of this movie. Sadly, the attempts to create jump scares and suspenseful moments generally fail to deliver on any level. Built-up jump scares are seen a mile away, and the comic gags don’t work here, regardless of the situation they find themselves in. The gags don’t land any laughs, and dialogue during conversations feels clunky and unrealistic, even forced. While the heavy CGI is still fun and creative, the creature certainly fits this kind of brainless entertainment. The musical score has moments that sound very similar to the Jurassic Park franchise, which was quite surprising. Perhaps the film did this on purpose given the premise and, again, as an attempt at comedy.
Overall, watching a dinosaur hunt two characters in the present day is a fun and brainless concept which is bound to entertain many. The film’s biggest praise point is the concept of a prehistoric creature on the hunt, which is creative and fun. Still, the main horror aspect didn’t work for me here, and the film seems to miss many opportunities. Instead, it becomes predictable, including its attempted jump scares. The film also tries to be funny and random, which didn’t work for me and the jokes don’t land a laugh, which is sad to see. Claw is certainly a film that many will own as it’s so cheesy that it might just be the perfect film to suit your craving.
3.7/10
4th January 2022
Written by Peter Walkden
WALKDEN ENTERTAINMENT
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