Okay, first of all, there's no actual rabies here, nor are there actual grannies (in the literal sense). This is a film about two old dears (Elizabeth and Victoria, played respectively by Danielle Daven and Anne-Marie Fox) who are turned into demonic monstrosities while celebrating a birthday in the company of their family. The fact that most of the family members are just attending to ensure they keep themselves in a favourable position when the time comes for them to get some inheritance money ensures that it's a lot of fun when people start being hunted and killed off by the deadly old ladies.
Written and directed by Emmanuel Kervyn, their only credit for work behind the camera, this is a gloriously gory and gloopy slice of horror comedy. Often incorrectly labelled as a Troma movie (because it was one of the many titles acquired by the company, but not actually made by any of the citizens of Tromaville), Rabid Grannies once had a reputation as a fun little cult movie. That reputation seems to have disappeared, perhaps due to the fact that the film is now a lot less likely to be discovered in some VHS "bargain bin", but I think it is still deserved. Just.
Aside from Daven and Fox in the main roles, the cast is largely made up of people who seem to have been picked more for their availability than their acting aspirations and, not to be too rude about it, that shows. Nobody is helped by the clumsy dubbing, nor the fact that a lot of the dialogue feels so clumsily and crudely inserted to supply character details and exposition, but they at least all go along enthusiastically enough with all of the insanity, and Robert Du Bois is particularly enjoyable as the cowardly and conniving Father Percival.
Considering the youth and relative inexperience of many involved, there's plenty to appreciate here once things start to get going. Decent practical effects deliver generous amounts of blood and slime, the situation is mined for plenty of dark comedy, and Kervyn gave themselves a great head start when coming up with the idea of mixing the supernatural shenanigans with a typically tense family dinner party. It's a bit harder to enjoy all of the lo-fi charm nowadays, considering what more can be achieved with less money nowadays, but that doesn't mean that horror fans can't still find a number of moments to enjoy (and maybe even relish, as I relish the twisted scene in which Elizabeth and Victoria offer Percival a dastardly ultimatum).
Gore, some bad acting, gratuitous nudity, more gore, this isn't a film to try and convert anyone who doesn't usually like horror movies. It's aimed squarely at those who have seen the best and the worst of the genre, and it delivers elements from both of those extremes. I still have a soft spot for it, but I don't think it's one I will revisit again any time soon. I will, however, spend some time convincing others that it's worth at least one viewing.
6/10
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It's too bad they couldn't have done a remake in the 90s with the Golden Girls. Though "80 for Brady" would probably have been a lot better if they'd turned into demonic monsters.
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