Return of Willard's rodents could use more bite

By Jack Garner
Gannett News Service

Crispin Glover plays the quirky Willard who befriends the vermin in his basement. The film is part remake, part sequel to the 1971 cult thriller in which rats are unleashed on an uncaring world. New Line Cinema 'Willard' Stars: PG-13 for moderate violence 100 minutes

Part remake and part sequel to a B-grade 1971 thriller, "Willard" is the bizarre tale of a social misfit whose only friends are the rats in his basement.

The horror comes when he unleashes an army of those rats on a world that has for too long belittled him.

But here is the surprise. Just when I couldn't imagine any reason for a remake, the producers found one: the supremely odd character actor Crispin Glover.

Indeed, Glover was born to play the central character.

The original "Willard" starred Bruce Davison as the nerdy and nervous title character. Although not taken very seriously by critics, the film became a big enough cult hit to generate the sequel "Ben" in 1972.

That film's only claim to fame is the title theme song — sung by a very young Michael Jackson when he still looked like Michael Jackson. (However, this love song to a giant rat should have told us that Jackson was getting wacky.)

Today's "Willard" is also a sequel simply because we see a painting of Willard's late father over the fireplace mantel — and it's Bruce Davison. Thus, this Willard must be his son.

Otherwise, the story is a remake, with similar plot points and characters: a mean boss (R. Lee Ermey) who deserves vengeance; a sympathetic, understanding girl (Laura Elena Harring) who likes Willard, despite his quirky faults; and the most fearsome, domineering mother (Jackie Burroughs).

And the two leading rodents have the same names, the amiable Socrates and the giant, evil Ben.

Cinematically, this "Willard" is several steps up from the original, thanks to the influence of Alfred Hitchcock on writer-director Glen Morgan.

Many of the visuals reflect "Psycho" and "The Birds," composer Shirley Walker contributes a moody score, and Crispin Glover might be the most unnerving screen nerd since Norman Bates.

From his shiny black hair, parted in the middle, to his too-snug suits, to his stuttering, monosyllabic conversation, this is an off-putting guy. But Glover also projects the character's intense emotional pain, as well as a childlike naivete, which makes him surprisingly sympathetic.

Very few actors could snuggle affectionately with a little white rat and make the scene bittersweet instead of silly. Glover does it.

We also can feel his growing panic when his pact with rodent devils turns on him.

Despite improvements in style and performance, the new "Willard" could still use a bit more edge, either in its black humor or violence and terror (which seems restrained to get the PG-13 rating).

Still, you have to love the film's many inside jokes — from the Big Ben alarm clock at Willard's bedside to the hilarious way the film works Jackson's "Ben" song into the film.

As if to put a final claim on this "Willard" as his own, Crispin Glover even wraps up the film by redoing Jackson's "Ben" over the end credits. Glover is spooky, unsettling and strange ... and he sings, too.

Jack Garner is chief film reviewer for Gannett News Service.