You have to worry about scientists during the 1970s. For
the second week in a row something nasty escapes into the public domain. This
time a plague of genetically engineered super rats rampages around London in
Terence Dudley’s lively if a tad schlocky story that splices genetics and the
art of seduction into one melodramatic package. After a series of rat attacks
(rattacks?) is reported the Doomwatch team investigations uncover vermin that
have been genetically altered to be thinking and responsive to the point where
they can open cages and use basic tools. If this all seems a little silly then
wait till you see the scenes where the production unwisely chooses to show them
actually attacking. It’s a shame they do as otherwise the use of rather
chilling sound effects and cleverly edited montages of our furry feinds is more
than adequate to demonstrate the danger. Sticking a toy rat to someone’s knee
and asking them to pretend to be in pain is probably not.
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| Robert liked to dance and sing in his kitchen when everyone was out. |
