If ever there were promise to invigorate the barely breathing genre of mass insects/spiders/etc. causing carnage to everyone and everything in their paths, it would be “Willard.” Able to strike a dagger into the heart of detractors, this film offers the talents of the ultra-cool Crispin Glover (“Back To The Future”), R. Lee Ermey (“Full Metal Jacket”), the production team behind the “X-Files” and the always beautiful and talented Laura Elena Harring (“Muholland Drive”).
Imagine the disappointment that swept over in droves as this film seemed to flail at the audience like a hose gone awry, spraying sub-plots and minor irritations here and there. There is never any actual concentration to make this film mentionable or even to put it into after-thought territory.
Granted, Glover, with his normally quiet and shy demeanor, is ripe to play this part; it was also rumored that he has quite a liking for small hairy rodents. Hence, he plays the main character, Willard, who has the domineering mother (stereotype No. 1), a possible love interest (Harring) who feels sorry for Willard’s sad shape in life (stereotype No. 2), and a psychotic boss bent on making Willard’s existance a living hell (Ermey, unfortunately part of stereotype No. 3).
While Willard is aimlessly living day to day, he makes friends with the various hairy rodents in his basement. Figuring out magically one day that they listen to every command he gives, he starts his own rat army. At first Willard plays minor pranks on people who wrong him, but he gradually ups the ante until the film becomes a full-blown psycho escapade.
Glover’s strange public persona has always given him an air of mystery, and it made this film something to look forward to. While Glover’s performance as the hapless loser is completely convincing, you can’t help but think, “This is George McFly.”
It would have been nicer to see Glover in psycho mode through most of the film, as his rantings and tears of rage sound so desperate and appalling you want this film to be much better than it is. Glover deserves an award for what he provides in this part he so clearly wanted to have and a movie he was so clearly perfect in making; it’s sad when his convincing portrayal falls to the wayside with this horribly porous and go-nowhere plot.
The audience spends the first hour in a slow buildup of all the trials and tribulations that ultimately lead to the snap, but frankly you just stop caring after awhile. When Glover finally reacts to everything, it’s good watching material, but by then you’re already looking at your watch. The screenplay, by Glen Morgan of “X-Files” fame, didn’t have much development in any other characters, and their talents are wasted in their 15 minutes of screen time.
“Willard” should have been good, wanted to be good and had all the ingredients to be good. Unfortunately, Glover can’t keep an entire movie afloat, and a lazy screenplay puts this movie into a rent-only-if-you’re-really-bored category.
Grade: D
