source: Ben

Trailer—Ben

Ben

This quickly made sequel to the previous year's smash hit "Willard" is generally looked down upon people, even those who were big fans of the original movie. It doesn't take long into watching it to figure out why that is. The biggest problem with the movie is that for the first seventy or so minutes of the running time, there is hardly anything resembling a plot. Instead, the movie seems to be spinning its wheels most of the time. And once stuff DOES start to happen (a plan by the local authorities to wipe out all of the rats), it isn't exactly worth the wait to see. It comes across as pretty flat instead of being scary or exciting. I will admit that despite what I just reported, the movie is never really boring at any moment. But at the same time, it's seriously missing movement and spark. Even rats deserve better screen treatment than they got here.

This sequel to the rat-themed psychological horror flick WILLARD - which I've not seen, although I liked the remake with Crispin Glover - begins with a recap or reimagining of the end of that movie and ends with a song by a youthful Michael Jackson. In the middle, we get a rather sad and sentimental story about a lonely, friendless and often bullied boy called Danny, who takes solace in the marionettes he keeps in the garage and soon befriends a hyper-intelligent rat called Ben. Meanwhile, the authorities are systematically hunting and destroying a pack of deadly rats they believe to be in the neighbourhood. It's a real slow burner for the first hour or so, but then it picks up for a sewer-bound climax which offers plenty of action and fiery FX as the cops pull out the flamethrowers. The special effects are pretty decent here and this is the most convincing bit of 'rat action' I've seen put on screen, but the film as a whole is too understated to make much of an impact.

BEN, unlike WILLARD, is actually not as scary. The horror of rodents swarming all over a health spa and the cereal aisle of a supermarket(an early example of product placement for Kelloggs?) is eclipsed by the, ah, poignant story of a boy and his rat. No really. The real story is the friendship between the homicidal Ben and this boy, prohibited from the normal activities of boys his age by a weak heart. Also on hand are Meredith Baxter as the older sister and a subplot concerning two detectives. Shesh, why reduce the movie to an extended episode of POLICE STORY? And of course, that theme song . . . who better than Michael Jackson to sing about that special love between a boy and his rat? And, as one reviewer pointed out, the film is a cornucopia of 70s kitsch, certainly a pleasant secondary benefit of viewing this film.

Last time I saw this movie I was 10 years old, that is 35 years ago. I loved this movie and that is why I am ordering it. It was made in the 70's, so of course it isn't up to todays movie standards. Even though, I'm sure that kids will still love it. I can't believe what that wet-paint watcher said about it. It is a cult classic and the song "Ben" sung by Wacky Jacko at the end is great. I cried and probably will again. His/her comment isn't worth diddly squat. I still reckon it to be a great movie. I think people should judge the movie for themselves, taking into consideration that it is a 70's movie. That way you won't be expecting to see the kind of movie you would see in the cinema today. Nevertheless, this is a great movie for its time.

OK I'm a sucker for a good b movie,and i loved this movie,better then the first one;Willard.well this time the fleeing rats led by Ben end up underneath the city storm drains.Ben then befriends a terminally sick boy played by Lee H Montgomery,who helps him.this time the rat army is much bigger.i wont reveal the ending but its a rather good one.the rest of the cast is very good,Meredith Baxter as the boys sister,Joe Campenella is the cop in charge,and Arthur O'Connell is the pushy newspaper reporter.Ben and his fellow rats should've received awards for their performance.and don't forget this features the late Micheal Jackson song called Ben.i call this a friendship between a boy and a rat.i recommend this movie to all fans of the horror genre.8 out of 10

I have pet rats and they are the most sweet and loving creatures. This movie portrayed the love that people can share with rats and it was truly a beautiful movie. Ben was beautiful and Lee was a little cutey too. The lyrics to Ben ring out beautiful and true. This is really a must see for anybody who loves rats or even those who love animals in general. Some people may view this as a horror movie, but it is really soooo much more. A remake of Williard is apparently in the works, so fingers crossed that these wonderful movies will be released on DVD.

It is a shame that this film has not been re-released on DVD. The VHS costs hundreds of dollars, presumably because of the Michael Jackson theme song. And yes, the theme song is wonderful. But not as wonderful as the love story between a rat, Ben and a human boy, Danny. This was released decades ago as a horror film, but the only thing horrifying about it is the way that the humans lose their humanity when confronted by rodents who are just trying to survive. If you love rats, you will be delighted by all the scenes of rats doing what they like to do best---eating, grooming and cuddling. If you have a rat phobia, I would stay away from this one.