Really Surprised!

It's no definitive masterpiece but it's damn close.

Don't Believe the Hype

If you're interested in the topic at hand, you should just watch it and judge yourself because the reviews have gone very biased by people that didn't even watch it and just hate (or love) the creator. I liked it, it was well written, narrated, and directed and it was about a topic that interests me.

I've been hooked on the Tremors film series from the start. If you've seen the original Jurassic Park then watch out for a scene in Tremors 5 that pays tribute to it and goes one better.Also, it has its own version of Lara Croft (Tomb Raider).Now for Tremors: A Cold Day in Hell. Oh, and I also see their making a TV Movie with Kevin Bacon but no mention of Michael Gross (Burt Gummer).

Just when you thought it was safe to switch to the Sci-Fi Channel, look who's back on the block! TREMORS! Michael Gross and Jamie Kennedy star in the newest installment of one of my favorite film series. Directed by actor turned director, Don Michael Paul who has helmed a series of direct to video sequels including Jarhead 2, Lake Placid 4, Sniper 5 and coming soon Kindergarten Cop 2 (I know what you're thinking, but bear with me), Tremors 5: Bloodlines tells an extremely familiar story centered around Burt Gummer and his new videographer assistant as they hunt down extra large versions of the subterranean ground grapplers we all know and love across the South African planes. If that sounded a lot like the plot of Tremors 2 with a few proper names flipped around, you'd be right but if you also think this movie is straight up garbage, you might be surprised.I know that I've already front loaded this review with a lot of bad stuff but let me now tell you what is good about it. First of all the story is way better written than you'd expect it to be with plenty of nods and asides to the original film and all it's sequels. The CGI is also way better this go round than an any of the other Tremors sequels. That coupled with competent cinematography and pretty decent acting from the supporting cast makes this movie a little better than your standard B-movie fare. In short, somebody really came to play! It's not perfect however, the pacing is a little squirrelly at times, it references a few other movies a little too closely and the ending is not quite all aces but on the whole it's an enjoyable small movie that's just inches away from being a legit film and if you're a Tremors fan, you'll really enjoy it.All in all, this B-movie is pretty rad and believe it or not, it's bordering on badass at times. In my opinion it's the best of the sequels and definitely worth a peek this Halloween season. Tremors 5 earns itself a hearty 3... out of 5.

Tremors is one of my favorite "creature features", thanks to its perfect combination of humor, suspense, likable characters and excellent special effects made by the legendary studios Fantasy II Films and Amalgamated Dynamics; and everything was set in a wild and realistic setting which inspired horror in the daylight, something unusual in this genre. Afterwards, three sequels (well, two sequels and a prequel) were made, in which Michael Gross was established as the main actor, but they were mediocre. The last film of the series (Tremors 4: The Legend Begins) had been released in 2004, and it had been set in the Old West, so there isn't a substantial connection to the fifth film, and having watched it isn't indispensable to appreciate the lean pros of Tremors 5: Bloodlines. The transplant of the graboids to South Africa doesn't add too much novelty to the story; it was probably a financial strategy to take advantage of the tax incentives offered to North American producers by that country; but the arid settings are certainly attractive to look at. Unfortunately, co-screenwriters William Truesmith, M.A. Deuce and John Welpley weren't able to fully exploit the premise, telling a bland story with abundant ideas copied from various classic movies (seriously, that scene in the kitchen with the monster stalking two persons is a shameless copy of Jurassic Park). On the positive side, Gross carries the movie with aplomb once more, and besides, he has a good chemistry with Jamie Kennedy, who also makes a decent work in his role. However, my favorite element of Tremors 5: Bloodlines were the special effects from the Bulgarian studio Cinemotion, which brought the creatures to life displaying remarkable "shaders" and a perfect integration with the South African settings. Pity that the appearances of the monsters were too sporadic; but whatever way it is, an excellent work from a European studio which can easily compete with its North American colleagues. As I said on the beginning of this review, none of the sequels (or prequel) of Tremors are nowhere near the level of the original film, but at least, they are moderately entertaining despite their mediocrity. I didn't find Tremors 5: Bloodlines better or worse than its predecessors, something which invites me to give it a slight recommendation to those accustomed to watch "B" movies who know what is expecting them. Personally, I wouldn't dislike another visit to the graboids world, as long as they don't let other 11 years go by before making it; I wouldn't like to see Burt Gummer hunting monsters in a wheelchair, unless he gets pushed by Kevin Bacon and Fred Ward. That would be a genuinely glorious.

It's been years since we've last heard from good, old Burt Gummer. But thankfully, if this film is any indication... he's still got it!After years of false-starts and rumors (and a title change to boot), it's finally arrived- "Tremors 5: Bloodlines"- the fifth entry in the cult-film franchise that began back in 1990. Featuring the return of Michael Gross's iconic character Burt while injecting new blood with new faces both on-screen and behind the camera, this sequel has a lot to live up to. And thankfully, for long-time fans of the series, it will most definitely deliver.I was so pleasantly surprised viewing this film for the first time earlier tonight. Much like returning to a place you fondly remember from your past or running into an old friend you haven't spoken to in some time... this re-visit to the series drips of nostalgic thrills and good, old-fashioned enjoyment that makes you remember just how much fun this series is.We once again join Burt Gummer, who is now capitalizing on his experiences with a sort-of reality show about his survivalist lifestyle. He's soon approached by thrill-seeker Travis Welker (Jamie Kennedy), an amateur filmmaker who wants to help Gummer "expand his brand" and joins him as a cameraman. (Think of Travis as a surrogate for the character Grady from "Tremors II"... Though for the most part, I found Welker a better sidekick when he's not making cheesy jokes) Soon after, the two are dragged into a new adventure- to hunt a new strain of highly-evolved "Blasters" (Well... you know what they're called, but IMDb probably won't let me post it) that are ravaging a small area of South Africa.However, a series of twists and turns will bring Burt and Travis face-to-face with new threats unlike any they have dealt with before.To get it out of the way, there are a few problems with the film. A few jokes early on fall flat, and I think it's fair to say that trying to shoehorn in another comedic sidekick in Kennedy was probably not the best move. While I didn't hate his character by any means, a lot of people have been complaining, and I think that after characters like Grady in the second film or "Desert Jack" in the third... trying the "silly sidekick" yet again was a bad move.And the other big problem I had was that the pacing is a bit out of whack later on. Particularly during the third act. Some plot-points seems to resolve themselves too quickly while others are too dragged out. A little more fine-tuning to the editing (particularly in how scenes are intercut with one-another) would have helped, but it wasn't anything too bad. Just a little wonky.But those are peanuts compared to the bigger picture, which is that this is VERY FUN film and is far better than a fourth direct- to-video sequel has any right to be. This is definitely the film fans have been waiting for. It continues the traditions of the franchise (from the inclusion of a new comedic sidekick to the fact the film introduces introduces new evolutionary traits to the "Graboid" family) while introducing new ideas, a fascinating new setting and building off of what's come before.The highlight of course is Burt. Michael Gross simply IS Burt. The film expertly shows off the sides of the character we know and love, and lovingly exploits his "delightfully quirky" persona to sheer perfection. Whether it be supplying us with wonderful belly-laughs or thrilling us with great action and problem-solving, Burt's back in a big, bad way. And Gross is an absolute joy to behold on screen.I was also very surprised by the quality of the visual direction courtesy Don Michael Paul, who is mostly known for his work on cheesy, direct-to-video and direct-to-TV sequels. I haven't been the biggest fan of his work (in fact, a lot of it is, well... bad), but here he shines, and I think it's clear he has a certain affection for the franchise. His camera-work, sense of composition and sense for scene- building pay off wonderfully, and I would say this is easily not only the most visually-striking film in the series... It's also arguably the best-directed.Also generally quite good is the script, which nails a great mixture of horror and comedy. There were some genuinely well-written and executed sequences of terror (one stand-out sequence involving a bridge is probably the best "intense" scenes in the whole series for a few expert scares it employs), and it's balanced perfectly with just enough moments of humor. While I do think it's sometimes too serious for its own good, it's definitely a great effort from the new writers and a good "modernization" of the concept.To top it off, the casting of secondary characters is fantastic (I now have a giant crush on Pearl Thusi), the music is perfect for the material, and even the digital effects are great. Which is saying a lot, because the digital effects in the previous films have been almost universally terrible. Here, the effects are HUGELY improved, and darned-near big-screen cinema quality. (Heck, a few scenes of the Graboids and Blasters are better than some effects I've seen in cinemas lately.)Honestly, I'm thrilled by how well this turned out. I wasn't necessarily expecting much (especially as the first entry of the franchise without involvement from series creators Brent Maddock and S.S. Wilson), but it paid off big-time. And it has me hoping that it's successful enough to warrant a sixth film... because this breathed new life into the series.Strictly as a fan, I give "Tremors 5: Bloodlines" a very-good 8. It won't impress series newbies, but for those who have loved the franchise from the beginning, it's a great new entry and one of the best sequels.