Tremors 4: The Legend Begins (2004) Reviews

• One of the better entries in the series

  mentalcritic2005-02-11

  The Tremors series seemed to run out of ideas on the second installment, so the idea that we are sitting around discussing a fourth is quite absurd, to say the least. Nonetheless, the fourth in the series may well be the best aside from the original, which is one of the most surprising things I've ever seen myself type. Perhaps the big secret here is that the series has never taken itself too seriously, which is certainly a plus in comparison to other series, where the sequels never seem to realise how bereft of ideas they are. Tremors 4 takes a completely different tack to its three predecessors and sets itself a couple of hundred years in the past. Before the town of Perfection became Perfection, it was known as Rejection (ha ha). Burt Gummer's great-granddaddy, Hiram, was a wimp who held guns in much the same manner that many of us hold dead fish. Contrary to the impressions of the other films, Rejection was a silver town with a mine owned by the aforementioned Hiram. It seems that when the miners stop work due to fear of being eaten, it eats into profits, and Hiram comes out to see what is scaring away the workers. As with the last three films, the cast is strictly low-rent, with Michael Gross and Billy Drago forming the most recognisable portion of the cast. Indeed, Gross seems to be so comfortable in the role of the Gummers that he barely seems able to portray anything else. Or rather, he doesn't seem to just portray the character. For all intents and purposes, he is the character. Which is certainly a great change from his days in Family Ties as the head of one of those saccharine families that only seem to exist on daytime or early afternoon television. It is just as well they placed the burden of the acting upon the shoulders of a veteran like Gross, as the rest of the cast seems lost. Tremors 4 also seems to return to the style of the original when it comes to revealing the worms. Instead of having them constantly attacking the populace through CGI simulation, much of their interaction with the human cast returns to the practical effects and trick photography of the original. The one shot in the film I noticed that was obviously CGI only helps to demonstrate that simple off-screen levers or cables still have a lot of usefulness left in them. The one problem I have with the films to date is that none of the DVD-Videos have been offered with a featurette that explains how these practical effect shots were achieved. Tremors 4 also marks the first time we get to see anything of the oft-referenced Carson City. The city doesn't appear at all special, but that's fine. Just inserting a view of the place is enough. Among Tremors 4's weaknesses, on the other hand, are attempts to build up suspense with danger to Hiram Gummer. As if the existence of Burt didn't already make the resolution of such scenes clear. Another problem is the constant debates about the next step in the residents' plans against the worms. The recitations of homilies start to get rather stilted after a while. There is also a bit too much repetition of the noisemaking technique. To the credit of the writers, they do manage to insert a few of the guerrilla-style battle moves that made the first and third episodes so amusing. Thankfully, the idea that Hiram Gummer could fight these creatures and Burt not have any idea what they were is sort of half-explained towards the end. In all, I gave Tremors 4 an eight out of ten. It isn't nearly as good as the original, but it is a massive improvement upon the other two. Here's to hoping that they manage to keep as many good ideas in a fifth or sixth, although I personally would pay good money to see a film set a hundred years from now with Perfection as a thriving city that is hit by the worms. Yes, that was a hint.

• I've seen worse $200+ million epics!

  uds32005-04-09

  If you're looking for entertainment..no more, no less - this little gem delivers! By far the best sequel (arguable order of merit for the series would be 1,4, 2 and 3) this is Michael Gross's film in totality. He has made the franchise his own and comes full circle playing his own Great Grandfather. It is a measured and emotional performance. As mine-owner Hiram Gummer he comes to Rejection" (as the backwoods township was known) to find out what has been killing the miners. What he discovers is completely outside his somewhat wimpy comfort-zone. Very much a return to the original in terms of characters...and even special effects which rely thankfully here, far less on laughable CGI. What might be seen as scaled-down excitement is more than compensated for with absolutely knock-out performances - Drago and Gross especially. All four films have an easy-on-the-eye laid back feel, principally because the production teams has remained intact throughout. Four excellent movies without sex, gratuitous violence and a solitary screen cussing in fifteen years. Not that Gross looks any older now than he did in 1989/1990. Very faithful to the earlier films and fully explanatory of how it all came about. Mention should also be made of Jay Ferguson's great musical score - the best of the four films. Best scripted, photographed and acted straight-to-video film I have yet seen and certainly was deserving of a theatrical release.

• Amusing and funny fourth sequel is set in the Old West

  ma-cortes2007-02-19

  Nevada 1889,a mining village called Rejection are happening mysterious events in the mine where die seventeen miners.There live a small group people(a habitual of native roles August Schellemberg,Sara Bostford,J.E Freeman, among others Chinese actors).Then comes Hiram Gummer(Burt's ancestor)played by the usual series Michael Gross.In the desolate plateau where are roaming a beasts,he arrives in the stage line and he brings a lot of luggage and a cycle.Later is hired a famous gunfighter called Black Hand Kelly(Billy Drago)to chase the strange creatures with three tongues.Then they confront against the West's most fearsome predator that savagely stalking its prey,the human group.The large wormlike burrow around in the underground looking for the human food.This time,Gummer will use a large rifle and a steam machine for battling the dreadful giant bugs called Graboids in an epic final fighting...And ultimately the town's name is changed by ¨Perfection¨. It's an OK and entertaining juvenile entry of the series,is remarkable for FX recreating of the carnivorous and ferocious beasts developing a bloodthirsty hunger for men eating.The giant worms delivers the goods with hair-raising chills,screams,grisly horror when they spontaneously appear.The essential characteristics from the series are the following : A remote plateau in a desert location called Perfection, a solitary misfit group fighting against the astonishment monsters called Graboids and of course the Michael Gross presence as Gummer,besides all are produced by Brent Maddock,Nancy Roberts and SS Wilson.The best is the original directed by Ron Underwood(Fred Ward ,Kevin Bacon),it's followed by inferior sequels aimed to video market :¨Aftershock¨ directed by S.S Wilson (also with Fred Ward and Helen Shaver),¨III Back to Perfection¨ directed by Brent Maddock(Charlotte Stewart,Ariana Richards) and Television series with Gladys Jimenez,Victor Browne,Marcia Strassman and as always Michael Gross.

• Fun and not half bad

  leadpoisonaod2005-05-08

  The original Tremors was a classic and a well put together big budget Sci Fi movie. The follow ups have all been more low budget and released only on video, but have actually been OK. I mean, you can't possibly take them seriously, but they're a lot of fun and the characters wind up being pretty memorable. Tremors 4 manages to continue the follow ups while maintaining originality. This alone is an accomplishment, since many sequels end up being repetitive and boorish. Tremors 4 doesn't have this problem. Instead, Tremors 4 is a prequel set in 1889. Perfection is a new town called Rejection and is populated by miners....until they start getting eaten. Most of the remaining townsfolk leave. The only ones that stay behind are an Indian, the Chang family, a Mexican guy, and an unmarried red headed woman. Sound familiar? The townsfolk send for a man to asses the mine, which turns out to be Burt Gummer's great-great granddad: Hiram Gummer. Hiram is a proper eastern dude who has never touched a gun and is completely unprepared. He doesn't want any business with the "dirt dragons". However, he gets swept up with the situation and decides to stay and fight the worms. He enlists the help of a famous gunslinger and together the motley crew of 8 battle the monsters. A big subplot in the movie involves the revelation of how the Gummer family became obsessed with guns, bombs, and preperation. Although, like all Tremors movies, its inherently a little bit silly and hard to take seriously, the movie is laced with nostalgic humor and for a #4 continuation, it's pretty well done and should satisfy most any fan.

• A very worthy entry

  moviefan692004-01-21

  I have been a huge Tremors fan ever since the movie first hit theaters. While the majority of people discovered the original gem on video, I have been a fan since day one. But I don't fault video. It is video that has made this franchise thrive in a way that it never could have as a series of theatrical films. In the theater you would've gotten more of the same, but with a bigger budget, possibly different filmmakers, and a great loss of originality. But with the modest budget allowed by video, you keep the original creators who probably do not command a huge salary, therefore you have gotten a series of films treated with a great deal of TLC. Also by not having a huge budget, the filmmakers are forced to use their creativity in their storytelling rather than let their production values tell the story for them. (Are you listening George Lucas?) Now as for the previous films, I've already mentioned how I regard the original. Tremors 2 is probably the best direct to video sequel ever made. It showed the filmmakers intentions on giving you what you paid to see, plus things you didn't expect at all. Tremors 3 was only a disappointment in that they seemed to lose track of humor and character, and relied too heavily on CG effects. (Lucas Syndrome) Still Tremors 3 was fun, inventive, and exciting. Now we have Tremors 4, and I have to admit I was very skeptical. Right now Tremors the tv series airs on SciFi channel, and while it remains fun, it suffers due to having to shorten it's stories to 45 minutes. So with that going on I thought cranking out another video sequel might end up fouling the nest. NOT SO! Tremors 4 is not only a total surprise, but it redeems the missteps of number 3. Two of the three biggest redeeming qualities are a return to character driven story, and the use of puppets and animatronics in favor of CG heavy effects. Let's face it, the puppets look more real. The third biggest plus to this film is making it a prequel. The filmmakers had run the course of the Graboids life except for showing them at their birth stage. And what better way to show that than to show how they were first discovered over 100 years ago. It's like reinventing the creatures and the franchise in one swoop. Bravo Tremors team! Now what can I say about Michael Gross? Most people thought the Tremors series would be nothing without Kevin Bacon. At least Tremors 2 had the other leading actor, Fred Ward. For the first 2 films, Michael's character Burt, had been a supporting character. But even so, I think he's been most peoples favorite from the get go. Burt's over the top preparedness always had everyone cheering. Will anyone ever forget the first time they saw the gun wall in Burt's basement in the first film? I know I won't. But here, Michael is playing Burt great grandfather Hiram Gummer. And he couldn't be more different from Burt. A pampered aristocrat, Hiram has never even handled a gun. But Michael plays him with good cheer and throughout the course of the movie you see him gradually become the precursor the government hating soldier of fortune we will know as Burt. So in the end, great action, great characters, great story, great effects!. Bring on Tremors 5!!!!!!!