Today, the concern is about climate change. Back in the 70's the concern was about the depletion of the earth's ozone layer. "Day Of The Animals" takes that concern and turns it into a watchable if not great story about the effects of this environmental concern. A group of hikers go into the mountains, not knowing that there's a potential problem - and they most certainly discover a problem! It seems that without the ozone layer to filter solar radiation, animals (and at least one of our hiking bunch) are going insane and starting to attack any human they find. It makes for a pretty exciting hike, I suppose! There are a number of familiar faces in this. The best known is probably Leslie Nielsen, although he hasn't yet really entered the comedy phase of his career (as in the "Airplane" and "Naked Gun" movies) and those who know him for that later part of his career might find it disconcerting to see him play this particular and truly nasty character. There are also familiar faces like Linda Day George, Michael Ansara and Richard Jaeckel as well. In all honesty I wouldn't say that this was the best acted movie I've ever seen, but it certainly was't awful. The special effects (such as were necessary) were poor - there was one truly atrocious view of poor Mandy falling off a cliff - but the animal attacks portrayed were generally pretty well done and in many cases unsettling to watch. Some of the filler material causes this to drag a little bit - but there are some effective cuts back to the town below where strange things are also happening as rats attack and pet dogs go rogue.
There are things about this that are really strange, mind you. Apparently this hiking trip is going to take several days - but this particular group seems woefully ill-prepared for such a trip, and a good number of them don't even seem to want to be on the trip particularly. From completely improper footware to just general negativity - it all left me wondering why any of them were even there? I also wondered about the animals. GIven that they were supposedly being driven insane by the unfiltered solar radiation, they seemed actually very in control, looking as if they were almost plotting their next attack against these representatives of our own species. In that sense, the movie reminded me a little bit of the recent TV series "Zoo."
Is it great? No. I'm not sure I'd even call it particularly good. But watchable? Yes. Enjoyable? Yes - in a strange sort of way. Watching Leslie Nielsen go completely unhinged - "I'M IN CONTROL OF THIS CAMPING TRIP!!!!!" - as he prepares to do a number of despicable things to his fellow hikers and eventually gets into a wrestling match with a bear alone makes this memorable. (4/10)
There are things about this that are really strange, mind you. Apparently this hiking trip is going to take several days - but this particular group seems woefully ill-prepared for such a trip, and a good number of them don't even seem to want to be on the trip particularly. From completely improper footware to just general negativity - it all left me wondering why any of them were even there? I also wondered about the animals. GIven that they were supposedly being driven insane by the unfiltered solar radiation, they seemed actually very in control, looking as if they were almost plotting their next attack against these representatives of our own species. In that sense, the movie reminded me a little bit of the recent TV series "Zoo."
Is it great? No. I'm not sure I'd even call it particularly good. But watchable? Yes. Enjoyable? Yes - in a strange sort of way. Watching Leslie Nielsen go completely unhinged - "I'M IN CONTROL OF THIS CAMPING TRIP!!!!!" - as he prepares to do a number of despicable things to his fellow hikers and eventually gets into a wrestling match with a bear alone makes this memorable. (4/10)