Frankly, I was surprised to know that this movie was directed by George Cosmatos, the creator of such action films as Rambo-2 and Cobra. `Of Unknown Origin' is an absolutely different one. I found it interesting and amusing. It has everything that every good horror film should have the spirit of suspense. Of course, Peter Weller acts very convincing. I think the movie wouldn't have its strange and surrealistic atmosphere without his talent of acting. The most remarkable episodes include one with Weller talking about the problem of rats in the US during the dinner with his boss. But as a whole I would say that what makes `Of Unknown Origin' a good movie is humour and irony, which one can easily trace from the beginning till the end. I would recommend this film for those who like horror movies not only because of special effects.
Add a Review
-
casso26 February 1999
-
dmacpherson12-112 July 2006Peter Weller anchors a cast of Canadian actors in this entertaining low budget thriller directed by George Cosmatos. Plenty of action and a good through line of how an obsessively detailed individual would battle a threat to his environment. Louis "Seeing Things" Del Grande is very good as the helpful janitor next door to Weller's yuppie palace. Features rising Canadian actors Kenneth Welsh, Jennifer Dale and a slimmer Maury Chaykin. The Canadian Tax Credit system helped put this film in Montreal, doubling as New York. With little to work with in terms of sets and exteriors, Cosmatos shows his chops as a director who tries to make each shot pay off in a particular way. The overhead shot of Weller looking out over the "human" rat race crossing the street draws an interesting parallel with the main story. More than a couple of 'homages' to Jaws, which Cosmatos admits was one of his favourite movies.A bit repetitive at times but better than 'Willard'. Worth a look.
-
The_Void2 October 2006The premise of this film isn't exactly original, but a story like this has great potential both for a psychological thriller and for a fun horror flick...but unfortunately, Or Unknown Origin doesn't quite manage to excel at being either. The focus is more on the battle between man and rat than providing the sort of schlocky horror that the eighties produced so prolifically, which is fine; but it never probes too deep into the psyche of the central character, and the film plays out like a movie that should be fun, but largely isn't. That's not to say that it's a bad film, however, as there are a lot of good ideas on display, and the film also features what may be a career best performance from Peter Weller. The plot sees a man who recently completed the rebuilding of a house being left alone when his wife and child go on holiday. He stays behind to try and win a promotion, but he doesn't count on an onslaught of torture when it turns out that the house he put together has become infested by a rat. What follows is an all out war between man and one of the world's most notorious pests.
Rats are one of horror cinema's most popular animals, and it's not hard to see why. There is a scene in this film that sees the central character make a case against rats, and it really makes you realise the reason why these animals are so often feared. Of Unknown Origin starts out slowly, but builds some momentum half way through when our hero begins his personal war against nature. I wasn't expecting much after the first half hour, but the film surprised me somewhat by the way it eventually comes together, climaxing with an exciting sequence that sees the central character really go off the rails. Peter Weller really is superb in the lead role, and I wouldn't be surprised if this film was the reason he went on to take the lead role in the classic Sci-Fi thriller 'Robocop'. It's a shame that director George P. Cosmatos doesn't seem too keen to get fully inside the character's head, as the potential for a great psychological thriller is definitely there. This film may have been better if it was handled by someone like David Lynch, but despite its imperfections; Of Unknown Origin is still worth seeing. -
Nick_Dets4 October 2006This movie is about a large, smart rat threatening to undermine everything a worldly wall street climber (Peter Weller) has worked to create for his world. The movie is like it's clever rat...creeping up with more intelligence than should be expected.
Great movies work equally on separate levels so that a wide audience can take what they will from it and still enjoy it immensely. Although technically a B-movie punctuated by 80's camp, it is unmistakable that "Of Unknown Origin" is truly special.
It's unfortunate that this movie has enough unattractive elements to deter a viewer's interest. First of all, it's a "rat movie". When has that ever been a favorable genre? Second of all, Shannon Tweed's involvement, however early in her career, emits an odor of genericness and illegitimacy.
Don't be turned off by all these potentially fatal bad traits. Director George P. Cosomotos and Peter Weller had an interesting, artful collaboration going on in "Of Unknown Origin". The film has a tight focus on theme and story, and goofy, highly entertaining, cult-status-worthy performance bits from Weller. It's a fun film- there's no doubt about that. There may be cheese, but there's also sincerity in how the film refuses to take itself seriously. Also, the familiar moral of the story is shown in so fresh a form that you won't even care.
For a story that works so well on an intellectual level, it's a blessing that the actual rat combat scenes are a great time. As Weller's lost yuppie starts to lose his sanity, his battles with his furry foe become more and more extravagant. Let's just say the conclusion is incredible.
The title refers to the clouded evolution of rats. It also speaks of the burning, unavoidable core of our hearts that is pure and determined to defeat our dark sides. Our consciences? Our God? Or is it just a fear of a big friggin' rat? Ponder that if you'd like, but enjoy "Of Uknown Origin" regardless. -
Greetings And Salutations, and welcome to my review of Of Unknown Origin; here's the breakdown of my ratings:
Story: 1.75 Direction: 1.25 Pace: 1.25 Acting: 1.50 Enjoyment: 1.50
TOTAL: 7.25 out of 10.00
This little creature feature flick had me surprised. Delightfully surprised. For one, the story is incredibly potent in its credibility. It not only deals with a rat infestation but the troubles it can cause, let alone the physical destruction there's the mental assault to consider. Secondly, the direction is on-point and commendably captures the events as they unfold. And thirdly, the acting is excellent.
Everything should be grand in the life of Bart Hughes. He's successful, married to a beautiful woman, has a marvellous son, and has just finished renovating his new city home. Life is paradise until his wife takes their son to the inlaws for their annual few weeks' vacations, and ratty the rat starts scurrying behind his expertly plastered walls. In a few days, Bart's life spirals out of paradise down the plug hole of hell. Since this is a story about one man's battle against a rascally rodent, it's nice that Brian Taggert made it more of a character-driven piece. Doing so allows the audience to place themselves in Bart's shoes. It also enables his breakdown and mental deterioration to be displayed thoroughly. And, I have to say, Taggert handles it superbly. And though the times get harrowing for Bart, Taggert peppers in some humour to keep the audience's interest. Another plus is the use of facts. We see Bart head to the library to gen up on his enemy. What he learns is shocking and more than a tad disheartening. But this is genuine information compiled from reliable sources and not something the writer dreamed up. This realism adds to the credibility of the story.
George P Cosmatos is a decent filmmaker and tells Bart Vs Ratty faultlessly. He adds some appealing and stimulating camera angles, though he chiefly employs a standard point-and-shoot style, with some fine compositions and steady pans. He also utilises natural light and shadow, which adds to the realism of the story and movie. Additional potency could have been created by increasing the number of engaging angles and scenes. There are plenty of opportunities to display the damage the rat had wrought. Had these been captured in a more striking style it would have only strengthened the picture.
This movie is Peter Weller's, and he should be proud. That's not to say the rest of the cast are rubbish; on the contrary, they are superb. But this story is about one man versus one rat. And that man is Bart Hughes, portrayed exceptionally by Weller. Weller gives the ideal presentation of a man who has an unspoiled life. And as we progress through poor old Bart's trials and tribulations, Weller, by turns, takes him deeper and deeper into the darkness of anxiety and depression and obsession. It's a great depiction of falling down the rabbit hole.
And, for that alone, I would gladly recommend Of Unknown Origin to every movie watcher. It's entertaining, credible, full of realistic characters, exemplary acting, and admirably filmed.
Now, if you've set all the rat traps, get your arse over here and have a gander at my Absolute Horror and Monstrous lists and see where I ranked Of Unknown Origin.
Take Care & Stay Well. -
pzilliox3 July 2006(Slight, generalized spoilers)
This film can't decide if it's going for psychodrama or boogie-man horror.
The script and Weller's performance are a cut above the usual B-movie fare, and do a surprisingly nice job of conveying Bart's increasing compulsion. Watching Weller's character tilt more and more toward obsession was memorable and unexpected. This film actually reminds me a bit of the Twilight Zone episode, "Nightmare At 20,000 Feet," in which an airplane passenger's behavior goes from normal to extreme. At the end of the film, I was subtly and cleverly left pondering whether Bart had gone permanently over the top or, with his ordeal over, was now free to resume his previously normal behavior.
That side of the man/rat equation is the good part. On the other side, The film tries too hard to make us scared of the rat. I really couldn't go along with Bart on his wild ride because of that one one fatal flaw: it's a rat. It's not a dragon; it's not a worldwide plague; it's not even some sort of space gremlin ripping apart an airplane wing: it's a rat. Sure, it's a big rat. It's a mean rat. It's a very uncharacteristically smart and resourceful rat. But it's still just a rodent. I was a bit skeptical whether his obsessive fears were justified. Unlike with the Twilight Zone script, I'm not confident that this was intentional. -
Superunknovvn10 June 2008This is the story of a man (Bart Hughes played by Peter Weller) who becomes obsessed with a little rat problem he's having at his newly renovated house. Instead of focusing on Bart's growing insanity, the director unfortunately showcases the rat as a vicious and dangerous beast. Although there are some quite effective closeups of the rat-villain, we never really feel any threat emerging from this little creature. Bart's obsession seems all but unbelievable. It's implausible that he would not just move to a hotel or try (harder) to contact an exterminator. Also, the movie just doesn't seem to have any real purpose. After a quick showdown it just ends, leaving some plot lines (Bart's job, his relationship to his family) unresolved.
"Of Unknown Origin" is still a very watchable movie. The pacing is quick and Weller does a pretty decent job in this one man-show. Had director George P. Cosmatos added anything to make it more than a mere monster movie, "Of Unknown Origin" would no be the obscure left-over from the early 80's that it is. -
spencergrande611 December 2016This rat movie is basically Moby Dick. OK yeah, it's more The Old Man and the Sea. Oh yeah those are just the loaded references made to superior influences in this film.
It's yuppie class climber versus the rat race and the slow descent into unhappiness and madness that that entails. Your hot wife goes on vacation with daddy without you. Her dad has money and rubs it in your face because you come from nothing. Your kid eats rat poison. You maybe almost cheat on your wife. You drink. Your brownstone gets trashed. Money is hard.
This is a fun flick for sure, and the man vs beast metaphor is used supremely well. The moment Bart (Peter Weller) is offered the "big project" of his dreams, with the money and dehumanizing that inherently represents, the film cuts to the first shot of the rat coming to life in the brownstone and beginning his reign of terror. Subtle? Maybe not, but with killer rats it doesn't need to be.
It doesn't stick the landing though. I never bought the supposed marital tension or his obsession with renovating the brownstone over family time. He seemed like a nice guy pulled a bit thin. I guess that makes him rootable, but also his journey less believable.
The title is killer and the scene where he rattles off all his rat facts to a flabbergasted table full of moneyed people is a treat. -
JasparLamarCrabb30 March 2008A not completely lousy movie from George Cosmatos! That said, the promise this movie has is never fulfilled. What could have been a Lewtonesque study of a man's breakdown degenerates into a silly sub par horror film. Peter Weller plays a career obsessed banker who finds himself becoming even more obsessed with getting rid of a pesky rat that's invaded his swank brownstone (actually more of a mod pad with a castle-like facade). Director Cosmatos, never one known for showing much tact, keeps the game of cat and mouse interesting for a good while until it just gets boring. Frankly, this is the type of movie with a "less is more approach" would need a star far more compelling than Weller. He's not bad, but he is dull and his jokey dialog doesn't help. Shannon Tweed plays his wife and looks dynamite, but really has nothing to do. Jennifer Dale is OK as Weller's smitten co-worker. Judged next to other Cosmatos fare (anyone for COBRA?), it's a masterwork.
-
BA_Harrison26 October 2019At face value, Of Unknown Origin is the story of high-flying corporate type Bart Hughes (played by Peter 'Robocop' Weller) and his battle with a large, highly-intelligent, and rather malicious rodent. As such, it's an entertaining romp that occasionally enters high-camp as the rat regularly displays more smarts than the man, and takes to attacking the poor guy when he leasts expects it (the toilet scene is hilarious).
Watched from another point of view, the film can also be seen as a tale of one man's descent into madness. With just two weeks to clinch a very important business deal, and left on his tod by his wife (Shannon Tweed) and kids for the duration, Bart's mind is unable to cope with the stress of work and loneliness and cracks, conjuring up the imaginary critter.
Either way, the film is a fun time, as Hughes tries a variety of means to rid himself of the pest: small traps, larger devices, and poison, none of which work (not surprising if the animal is a figment of his imagination). Eventually, Bart drives nails through a baseball bat and gets primal on the rodent's ass, smashing up his swanky home in the process.
With several cheesy jump scares (the aforementioned 'rat in the toilet' scene and a dream sequence involving a birthday cake are the most memorable), a strong central performance from Weller, and competent direction from Rambo director George P. Cosmatos, the film is never less than enjoyable, and even delivers some topless nudity courtesy of Tweed (Playboy Playmate of 1982 and future Mrs. Gene Simmons). -
Coventry3 January 2008It's (future) Robocop VS. Rodent in this interesting & compelling but ultimately bland hybrid between an ordinary creature feature and a portrait of psychological downfall. Textbook 80's yuppie Bart Hughes has everything you could wish for in life. Married to the previous Playmate of the year, he owns a personally renovated brownstone in the heart of New York, his parents-in-law live all the Vermont, his secretary has a not-so-hidden crush on him and he's moments away from getting that important assignment everybody at the office was craving for. Bart's perfect universe gets brutally disturbed when an unusually intelligent rat decides to join the household and run a little bit of amok in the house. When all regular rat-catching methods like traps and poison fail, Bart begins to take the battle personal. He gradually goes berserk, isolating himself from his colleagues and neighbors, with only one mission left to live for: annihilate the rat! Okay, what we have here is an ambitious script about an alarmingly escalating obsession, a stellar performance by Peter Weller and skillful photography by René Verzier who successfully manages to depict the ordinary rat like the most fierce and petrifying monster in the universe. That's very admirable and all but, in the end, "Of Unknown Origin" only just remains a film about a guy chasing vermin through the house for nearly 90 minutes. The rodent's intellectual capacities, as wells as some of Bart's desperate measures to catch it, are just a tad bit implausible and actually on the verge of hilarious, even though the whole thing is acted with straight faces and serious undertones. What type of rat are we dealing with here, in fact? Because sometimes the animal is small enough to move through the draining pipes whereas at other times it looks big enough to pass for a warthog. Or maybe its variable sizes were intentional as part of the whole psychological aspect, and then I missed the point again? I know "Of Unknown Origin" isn't meant to be a full-blooded horror film, but still the lack of blood and action was mildly disappointing. Couldn't the rat have killed the irritating neighbor, the exterminator or even Shannon Tweed? Unquestionably the most fascinating moments of the entire film are the rat trivia Bart recites to all his clearly embarrassed colleagues & superiors during a diner party. Now that scene was both creepy and educational.
-
BeautyAddiction10117 March 2009I give this one a ten. How? Well, if you love rats, you will hate me. Let me just start off by saying I have never written a public comment, so do be gentle. I am also rather desensitized to horror films. Salo, Irreversible, and others I am ashamed to mention, hardly phase me. I've seen other rat films. Older rat films, and new ones haven't bothered me. I had purchased this film with about 20 others, and it looked silly, was inexpensive, so why not? I find myself awake this morning at 4:30 am, and in need of mild entertainment. Here is where my horrific morning begins.
I am a 24 year old female, so to all you guys reading this, never show a woman this movie. Show her Cannibal Holocaust, not this. I slap in my DVD of this film, pull my covers back and wait for 90 minutes to pass. 10 minutes later I am screaming like a wild woman being attacked by the Texas Chainsaw Massacre. This movie is INSANE! I own 1000 horror movies, and I thought I had built up enough tolerance and desensitization to endure any form of human torture. Wrong! This is one evil, hideous, demon possessed rat. By the time an hour had passed I was clutching on to my baseball bat, and wouldn't you know? A shadow from my ceiling fan caused a sharp movement on the floor., and I was running down my hall in a terrified frenzy. It may be that girls like me just can't cope with a rat, but it might just be that this movie is hell bent on preying on everyone's natural dislike for these foul little beasts. I sat and hoped that WHAT I KNEW WOULD HAPPEN would not. It did. I was so happy when this movie was over, but ever happier I gave it a chance. It is rare I feel fear, and this was a great reminder. It isn't Citizen Kane, sure, but it is more entertaining. It is my worst fear, realized. Except for that whole broom in girlie prison thing. I digress.
I know you guys are tough! I know you ARE THE MAN! BUT! If you can make it through this movie without jumping in your seat, well, you should join the Navy Seals. Or better yet .you would make a great executioner. This is a nerve wrecking modern spin on MAN VS. MONSTER. No kidding!
This movie gets a ten from me. After sitting through 1000 movies that people say are scary, I find this fabulous little gem, and come to realize just why I love horror. This is horror. Nobody gets tortured, raped, or beheaded. That is fine, considering how brilliantly the film makers took a simple fear and found a way to torture the audience, and not one lesbian bimbo vampire was skinned alive. I was impressed.
I wish I was so well versed and I could give you the most complex analysis of the technical specifics. I am not. Peter did a great job in being convincing, and some of the camera work is great I think. The camera often acts as the eyes of this evil monstrosity. The mans wife in this movie is really pretty, and you see her boobs. So, you guys might like that if nothing else. I think the film was very well done, and most effective at making it's point. I would tell you all about the shocks, but that would ruin them for you. Some must be seen to be believed.
I'm a girlie girl, sure. I bet you can't make it through this movie, in the dark, without your baseball bat either. If you are on the fence and wondering if you want to give it go, do it. But, remember, it can bring out your feminine side. Isn't that the definition of scary for you boys?
Either way, for my own sanity,I am adopting a cat today. -
Bart Hughes (Peter Weller) is living the good life in New York City. Prestigious, high-paying job with ample opportunity for advancement? Check. Attractive and supportive spouse? Check. Nice, newly-renovated three-story brownstone? Check. Infestation by large-sized, uncommonly-intelligent, extremely-destructive rodent? Che... Uh... Well life can't always be perfect, can it?
With his wife (Shannon Tweed) and their young son out of town visiting her rich father, Bart has two whole weeks of peace and quiet to immerse himself in work in order to impress his boss (Lawrence Dane) and secure a promotion. One morning he notices his dishwasher has leaked and flooded out the kitchen. A closer look reveals a leaky hose that's been gnawed almost in half. Suspecting either a mouse or rat as the culprit, Bart turns to the building superintendent Clete (Louis Del Grande) for help. Clete tells him about all the various ways he can exterminate the pest ("You trap 'em, you poison 'em, you knock 'em on the head, you gas 'em or you shoot 'em.") but adds that rats are the only animal that can survive atomic bomb blasts. That's encouraging, huh? Bart puts out a bunch of old school wooden traps with cheese bait and goes about his day. Unfortunately, those traps end up easily demolished, and his later attempts to kill it using heavy-duty steel traps and poison also fail.
All the while, the "furry f#?!er" makes Bart's life a living hell. It pops out of a toilet, attacks him when he tries to sleep, kills a stray cat he brings in, leaves black hairs all over the place, eats his food, breaks vases and photos, chews through the electrical wiring, chews through the phone wiring, chews holes in the ceiling and walls, chews up feather pillows and essentially turns his once-immaculate home into a complete dump. It isn't long before Bart is studying articles like "The Rat: Lapdog of the Devil," flipping through photos of bite victims and learning everything there is to know about rats. His obsession with killing the four-legged intruder ends up potentially threatening his job, his marriage and even his sanity, until he decides he's had enough and goes after it with a spiked baseball bat.
Though flawed (it's essentially a one-idea film and grows repetitive and tedious at points), this isn't a bad movie. It's professionally made and directed and features good music, camera-work (including a neat shot inside the box springs of a mattress!) and special effects (a mixture of model rats and close-ups shots of real ones were used). Some of the writing is sharp, including a very amusing scene where Bart spoils a snobby dinner party by discussing some unpleasant facts about rats. Best of all though is Weller himself, who deserves a lot of credit for single-handedly holding the whole thing together, which is important considering his character is the only one of any interest whatsoever. It's also slightly more interesting than your usual 'animal attack' flick because it eschews the cliché every-man lead for a main character who's a not- particularly- likable dissatisfied yuppie control freak who cringes when one character sits on his pristine kitchen counter top. The makers appear to be using the rat metaphorically to represent all that threatens the uptight protagonist's affluent lifestyle by dethroning him as king in his own self-made castle.
As I was watching this, the final segment in George Romero's CREEPSHOW (1982) - which featured E.G. Marshall as a rich old jerk whose spotless apartment is invaded by an army of killer cockroaches - quickly sprung to mind. Both of these tales are black comedies and both feature an upper-class character that has it made being forced to confront how most of the rest of the world lives when their privileged bubble is invaded by an unwelcome intruder. What's interesting is that both stories have completely different resolutions. Not surprisingly, Romero, whose work is typically bleak, opts for the grim finale, while Cosmatos, who'd make the raise-your-flag-and-cheer-on-Stallone-as-he-blows-away-the-bad-guys RAMBO II soon after this, goes for the positive. In other words, by watching both you get to see the same basic story told from two very specific yet completely different perspectives; one condemning and punishing what they perceive to be classism and the other taking a more optimistic stance by suggesting that anyone is capable of positive change given the right catalyst. -
mpstjohn25 February 2009You know that one guy who'd do anything to get you fired, destroy your house, alienate you from your friends and family, chew through your surge protector? You know, the usual. Well, imagine if that guy was a poodle-sized sewer rat.
I wondered going into this movie why Peter Weller would agree to star in what is essentially the rat-equivalent of Jaws: The Revenge. I got my answer about twenty seconds into the film, where it opens on a shot of Shannon Tweed, playing Weller's wife here, showering. Umm, okay.
She leaves, along with Weller's extremely dimwitted kid to stay at a hotel (only to pop up later in the movie scantily-clad back in her hotel or in a dream sequence in order to meet some strange 80s boob quota I suppose).
Weller is doing fine by himself, (staying behind to finish some work), until the dishwasher overflows, eventually upsetting a rat who decides to move into his apartment. Its hard to gauge just how big this thing is supposed to be until it decides to crawl up under the covers in Weller's bed later, apparently he's the size of a tomcat.
Weller does his best to get rid of the rat, upgrading from normal rat traps to (what are basically) miniature bear traps. When the medieval rat traps don't work or come back gnawed on he decides to get a cat, which also comes back gnawed on (or replaced with a cheap stuffed animal that resembles his cat). When he decides to ignore the rat he chews on on his surge protector, fuse box, and therein cutting off the power.
Weller runs around the house, bashing holes into walls in search of the rat, is plagued by nightmares of birthday parties where the giant rat jumps out of a sheet cake (?), and where his dimwitted kid ends up mixing in various rat poisons in with his cereal. The finale brought to mind Arachnophobia as it ended in a dank basement; the film ending maybe twelve seconds after the rat's been dispatched as Weller brushes himself off as if the last two hours hadn't just happened just in time to greet his wife and kid at the front door. I'm sure they won't notice the completely demolished apartment. -
Over the years we've had killer frogs in Frogs, killer ants in Phase IV, killer rabbits in Night of the Lepus, a killer alligator in the sewers in Alligator. This time, it's the turn of a killer rat, in this largely overlooked but sporadically interesting George P. Cosmatos thriller.
Peter Weller leads the cast, as an overworked businessman who lives in a classy New York town-house with his wife and son. The wife and son go away for a short vacation, leaving Weller to get on with his paperwork for an upcoming business deal. However, an unusually large rat has somehow found its way into his house. Slowly but surely, it figures out various ways to outwit and terrorise the hapless Weller, until he decides that enough is enough and tries to kill it himself.
There are some great jumpy moments in this film. The scene where Weller stumbles to the toilet one night, only to lift up the lid and be faced with the giant rodent is superbly done. The scene where he gropes around inside a dolls-house for the rat-trap he planted days earlier, only to have it snap shut on his hand, is hard to watch without closing your eyes. However, the film goes through frequent dull patches which damage some of the good suspense work. The office scenes are necessary to the film to get across the stress Weller's character is under from work, but they seem to drag on pointlessly. The film is much better when concentrating on the man .vs. beast side of the plot. If you're into these films, with a mutant animal causing havoc, this may be of interest to you. -
mm-3914 August 2019Of Unknown Origin creeps up on you like a rat! As the sup said "you think about the rat 20 percent of the time the rat thinks 100 percent of the time about you" The mention line sums up the battles of wits of rats and men. Starts out in the Yuppie 80's of the young white male urban profession Weller who has it all. The investment job, blond trophy wife, kid, and a lovely Brownstone house. The director creates the cold steel look and actions of the 80's corporate world. Weller has a huge down sizing project to make or break for the Yuppie who is on the move up, but there is rat throwing into the perfect life. Instead of the usual horror movie of mystery Of Unknown Origin has the viewer knowing what the problem is! The perfect house and the disruptions of the rat has the viewer wondering what will happen next. The rat is probing at first and getting more destructive making the house the rat's own. In the middle part Of Unknown Origin we learn much about the history of the rat from Weller's research. Of Unknown Origin has a epic primal battle between rat and man, which represent a battle threw out the ages of our survival vs the adaptable rat. 7 stars.
-
deloudelouvain1 August 2018I watched this movie with an open mind, knowing it was made in 1983, and so not to expect staggering special effects when it comes to the horror part. The story is, as you could guess, about the battle between a man and a rat. A rat invading his private space, the house he completely renovated. It's almost a one man movie, with Peter Weller as the main character. Sure there are other actors in Of Unknown Origin, but the main story is just the battle between Peter Weller and the rat. Seeing Peter Weller turning from a normal human being to a psychotic obsessed person was a clever move in this movie. It makes it interesting to watch. Good acting with a simple but effective story.
-
SnoopyStyle24 May 2020In New York, businessman Bart Hughes (Peter Weller) is proud of his renovations on his old house. While his wife and child are away, his home is invaded by a giant rat. He becomes obsessed to the detriment of everything else including his work. He is 'assisted' by handyman Clete.
I like the Moby Dick premise. Quite frankly, the wife and kid are unnecessary. If he doesn't have the wife, the cute assistant could have a bigger role. The handyman is great and he could do more. Weller is solid as a man obsessed. The Montreal location does not look like New York. In the end, the rat disappoints. It's a difficult thing. It's almost better to not see the rat like Jaws. The chewing sound could be the scary soundtrack. Finally, the title is too sci-fi and esoteric. It should be something like Rat Poisoned. This is a solid B-movie. -
This is what happens when a significantly larger than usual rat takes up residence in the crawlspaces of a Manhattan townhouse. The homeowner (Weller, pre "Robocop") is initially irritated by the incessant scratching and midnight snacking that is taking place while he prepares for an important presentation for his firm. With wife and daughter conveniently out of town, Weller is left to combat the unwelcome houseguest, which is becoming increasingly skillful at out maneuvering his reluctant host. Of course when the rat is finally revealed, it proves to be a larger problem that Weller had ever anticipated. War is soon declared, battle lines are drawn and Weller risks not only his high profile occupation, but indeed his life, protecting his castle and evicting the rogue rodent.
Essentially a two character stage play depicting an escalating chess match between Weller and his unwanted pet, each seeking to outplay the other in strategy and tactical dominance. Equipped with human like intelligence and physically imposing attributes, the rat is resilient and self assured; as the late night sorties escalate, so does Weller's mental stability deteriorate to the extent that those around him begin to doubt his mental well-being. Could it be that there is no rat, and that he's overwhelmed by the 'rat race', confronting demons from within? It's interesting to watch the mutual respect evolve, as both antagonist and defender start to take one another more seriously. Initially Weller is content to lay a simple mouse trap, until he finds it twisted (almost disdainfully), his opponent goading him into more sophisticated entrapments.
Welsh is a scene stealer as the dedicated pest controller with his work cut out for him, while the rest of the Canadian cast is virtually unknown (with the exception of Dane as Weller's less than sympathetic employer). Director Cosmatos displays a strong conceptual interpretation of the duopoly in the script, and Weller is charismatic enough to carry the majority of the film. The special effects are effective; the Labrador-sized rodent looks menacing but curiously, there's no explanation given for its proportions. Some light humour and realistic set design complete a compact but watchable little suspense-horror film. -
dfranzen706 February 2015If you like rats, then this is a movie for you. Well, unless you'd rather watch Willard, original or remake, or Graveyard Shift, the one with Brad Dourif. But still, Of Unknown Origin does have a nasty rat in it. It's man versus rat in a battle of wits...and teeth. Cue horror-movie music.
Of Unknown Origin stars Peter Weller as Bart, a successful businessman who's under a lot of strain at the office. With the wife and kid out of town, he can meander around his renovated-by-hand townhouse at the end of the day and just unwind. That is, until he hears noises coming from behind the walls.
Bart buys traps. They don't work. He buys bigger traps, then poison. Nothing doing. We get occasional glimpses of the rat. The rat chews through various wires, eventually shutting down all electricity. Meanwhile, Bart is desperately trying to finish a project at work on very short notice. Life's not going well.
Weller was sort of a poor man's version of James Woods: sometimes unhinged, sometimes too calm. That dichotomy is on display here. Weller, who would later play Robocop, is pretty good here, given the dopey and unbelievable material, and he shouldn't be faulted for the film's many shortcomings. Shannon Tweed also appears, briefly, as Bart's wife. It was Tweed's first movie, and it's shame she's not in it more.
There's a lot of destruction and mayhem in Of Unknown Origin, more than you'd think a man-versus-rodent battle might entail. The director is one George Cosmatos, who would later direct both First Blood and Tombstone, so this just stands to reason. This is a harmless, vacant-mind movie. -
gridoon20 January 2000Peter Weller's excellent performance is the best reason to see this film; he gives us a very realistic portrait of a man's descent into near-insanity. Otherwise, this horror film is rather trivial, with an one-note premise which is handled pretty poorly (although there are some scattered effective moments). Fortunately, Weller keeps it watchable enough.
-
Vampenguin2 April 2006Though I don't really consider it a horror film, if you are one of many who happens to be afraid of rodents this film will terrify you. Hell, even you you don't mind rodents it might freak you out a bit. Peter Weller is always a great actor, and he stars in this film as Bart, a man who wages an all out war with one hell of an angry rat while the rest of his life begins to fall apart because of it. He is the only leading actor in this film, and he carries it almost completely on his own. His dinner table speech about the dangers of rats was both hilarious and a bit unnerving at the same time. I liked how this film was almost self-mocking in parts, though it always kept a straight face about it and never went to far. The rat's point of view shots really show this. The scenes with the rat were all very well done, congrats to whoever trained the rat. The plot was very original, and I liked how smart the rat was. Always a couple steps ahead of poor ol' Bart. I think I jumped a foot when the damn thing came out of the toilet. Last but not least, that was one heck of a bat he made near the end! Overall, this is a great film. Admittedly it's a bit cheesy in places, but it knows what it is and handles itself very well. Highly recommended.
8.5/10 -
paulclaassen21 June 2020The film has a very deceiving title, as I was expecting something alien here. Instead, what we're dealing with, is an ordinary rat. Well, maybe not entirely ordinary, as it is a rather vicious rat.
Either way, the film in its entirety is about a man trying to rid his house of a rat. Who would ever have thought a film with such a simple premise could possibly be this entertaining. The film could have been bad, but thanks to a good performance by Peter Weller, good directing, and excellent photography, the film works really well. If this film doesn't make you hate rats, nothing will!
'Of Unknown Origin' was never boring, and kept me glued to the screen, anxious for the poor guy to finally get the rat!! I felt so sorry for him, especially with him having a deadline for a work assignment, and the ordeal starting to affect his work.
This certainly is a unique film; one I rather enjoyed, actually. -
Dr. Gore15 July 2003*SPOILER ALERT* *SPOILER ALERT*
Peter Weller needs peace and quiet. His wife and kid have left him behind in their swanky New York apartment. Good thing too because Weller needs to get some office work done. Unfortunately a giant rodent has claimed his apartment as Rat Town. Who will rule this roost? Rodent or Weller? Man against Nature. Rat against Robocop. Only one shall survive.
"Of Unknown Origin" is one of the best giant rat movies ever made. Weller is the king of this castle and no giant rat is going to tell him otherwise. The Rat Battle Royale is on.
One last thing, I must confess a B-movie sin. "Of Unknown Origin" is the only Shannon Tweed movie I have ever seen. I'm a little ashamed to admit that since Tweed is synonymous with B-movie sex and sleaze. Someday I hope to atone for the lack of Tweed in my life. Perhaps a Shannon Tweed film festival is what's called for here. -
rmax3048237 May 2017Peter Weller makes enough money at his snooty office job to buy a brownstone in New York City, refurbish it, and then furbish it, all on his own. It's beautiful. It's exactly the way he wanted it, except for one thing -- a rat the size of a Scottish wildcat that drives him crazy with its catabolic antics. The reason for its existence, or even the existence itself, is a puzzle that may be called Schroedinger's rat.
The beastly thing begins by chewing through the electrical cables and ends up by making a meal of some urgent work Weller has prepared for his job. The maintenance man gives Weller the lowdown on rats. They're cannibals, they bring plague and other diseases, they attack people's genitals, and can chew through a steel I beam. Weller uses mouse traps but the rat outwits him. This rat, by the way, has the IQ of a human being but a psychopathic one.
The entire movie is a story of mano a mano combat between Weller and rat. The monster rat can drop or jump to the attack at any time, from any place. Weller is obsessed by his battle with the animal. Its noises keep him awake at night. He loses sleep and dozes off or daydreams at work, endangering his job. (His sympathetic but pragmatic boss is Lawrence Dane, who delivers a fine performance of which the film is unworthy.)
The story becomes almost tragic as Weller isolates himself from friends and colleagues who would like to help him. They do what they can even though Weller has never told them that he's having a problem with a mutant rat. He becomes Howard Hughes. He refuses to answer the door or the phone and when an empathic woman from the office shouts to him from the sidewalk, we hear only hear his voice calling down distantly from an upper story, "Leave me alone."
Weller's increasing estrangement is the best part of the film because the rest of the story is so ill handled, never missing a cliché. Thus, we hear scuttling noises in the ceiling and the camera takes the rat's point of view as it rushes through pipes and shafts. The musical score is pedestrian. Several shocking scenes presented as real are revealed as Weller's daydreams.
The scenes of man/rat combat aren't convincing because there were no CGI's yet, so all we see is Weller screaming and demolishing his house with a weird studded weapon fashioned around a baseball bat. The happy ending comes out of nowhere and leaves all sorts of plot threads dangling.
Weller's acting is up to par. His character is credible. We can easily identify with him, except for those moments when he's shrieking and being attacked by a damned rodent.