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Bats

Generally unfavorable reviews
Based on 26 critic reviews
How did we calculate this?
Based on 5 votes
Read user comments
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Movie Info
Genre(s): Suspense/Thriller
Written by: John Logan
Directed by: Louis Morneau
Release Date:
Theatrical: October 22, 1999
DVD: February 22, 2000
Running Time: 91 minutes, Color
Origin: USA
Summary
RATING: R for some graphic, bloody bat attacks
Starring Lou Diamond Phillips, Dina Meyer, and Leon
Swarms of genetically altered bats blaze a path of terror through a sleepy Texas town. The only hope to stop the growing tide of devastation is a zoologist who studies bats (Meyer), her assistant (Leon), and the local sheriff (Phillips). (Destination Films)
Also On The Web: Internet Movie Database
What The Critics Said
All critic scores are converted to a 100-point scale. If a critic does not indicate a score, we assign a score based on the general impression given by the text of the review. Learn more...
Variety Joe Leydon
Smoothly maneuvering within the limitations of genre conventions, Bats emerges as a vigorously paced and surprisingly satisfying piece of work.
Read Full Review >Baltimore Sun Chris Kaltenbach
In its own B-film, let's-make-them-jump-out-of-their-seats way, Bats is quite the hoot.
Mr. Showbiz Kevin Maynard
A sleek rip-off of "The Birds" that is fast, furious, and watchable, but lacking in the two elements most essential to a silly screamfest like this: scares and laughs.
Entertainment Weekly Doug Brod
The kind of rote schlocker that rarely makes it to big screens anymore.
Read Full Review >LA Weekly Ron Stringer
Overlong, hard look at the perils of tampering with Creation.
Read Full Review >TV Guide Maitland McDonagh
A straight-faced throwback to the glory days of mutant wildlife on the rampage.
Read Full Review >Philadelphia Inquirer Desmond Ryan
If you are unlucky enough to stray into the presence of Bats, I strongly recommend you follow their wise example. Hang from the ceiling and go to sleep.
New York Daily News Robert Dominguez
Unfortunately, it isn't until the final scene -- a spoof of the horror genre's false-ending cliché -- that Bats really takes wing.
Read Full Review >USA Today Staff [Not Credited]
Really just an update of the kind of hapless grade-Z effort that once played the bottom half of a drive-in double bill.
TNT RoughCut Christopher Brandon
Everything in it is old bat.
Los Angeles Times Kevin Thomas
So uninvolving it scarcely matters what it looks like.
Read Full Review >Film.com Tom Keogh
Pours on some of the most ridiculous dialogue heard in a feature film in a long time.
Read Full Review >Miami Herald Phoebe Flowers
Dumb cliches run amok.
Christian Science Monitor David Sterritt
Violent and vapid, but the visual jolts may please horror buffs.
Read Full Review >San Francisco Examiner Walter Addiego
A dimwitted, fill-in-the-blanks horror opus that slanders a fine and useful mammal.
San Francisco Chronicle Mick LaSalle
Falls apart immediately, then limps on for 45 minutes more.
Read Full Review >New York Post Lou Lumenick
Not especially scary or funny, this lame comedy-thriller wastes a decent cast in a plodding tale.
The New York Times Lawrence Van Gelder
Cause for fright in only one respect: the possibility that it could spawn sequels.
Read Full Review >Dallas Observer M. V. Moorhead
A work of hilarious, nearly Ed Wood-worthy ineptitude.
Read Full Review >Film.com Robert Horton
An amazing compendium of dumb behavior, bad dialogue, and incoherent direction.
Read Full Review >Chicago Reader Lisa Alspector
All I saw were unimpressive digital effects; artless, quick-cut abstracted gore; and a last-ditch attempt to evoke a visceral response by heaping the climactic scene with bat shit.
Read Full Review >Austin Chronicle Marc Savlov
It's relentlessly bad in a way that just makes those theatre seats plain uncomfortable.
Read Full Review >What Our Users Said
The average user rating for this movie is 3.6 (out of 10) based on 5 User Votes
Note: User votes are NOT included in the Metascore calculation.
James E. gave it an8:
This movie is a real gem...no I take that back it is a (Lou) Diamond (Phillips)! As always The Diamond brings his "A" game to the role and owns it. He puts on that oversized sherriffs hat and you think WOW did he quit acting and take on a a life of crime fighting. This is a must watch for anybody who wants to see a bunch of bats get handed some Texas justice Diamond style!
Lubko T. gave it a 0:
In the Ukraine, We have Bats 10 times the size of those rats.
Stephanie gave it a 0:
Definitely not scary, which would be forgivable if it was interesting to watch.
Ned D. gave it a 1:
Can I just say that I laughed my ass off at this movie? Not 'with' but 'at'. And, no, that's not a recommendation. Ooh look, rubber bats! Scary scary.
