Piranha (1995)

   
Directed by: Scott P. Levy

Written by: John Sayles

Story by:
Richard Robinson

Starring:

William Katt .... Paul Grogan
Alexandra Paul .... Maggie McNamara
Monte Markham .... J.R. Randolph
Darleen Carr .... Dr. Leticia Baines
Mila Kunis .... Susie Grogan
Soleil Moon Frye .... Laura
Kehli O'Byrne .... Gina Green
Leland Orser .... Terry Wechsler
Drancy Jackson .... Jimmy
Billie Worley .... Whitney

Special Appearance:


James Karen .... Governer

Release Date: Made-For-Cable: October 1, 1995

 
Rating:

 

A scientist named Doctor Leticia Baines (Darleen Carr) has done an experiment on a school of pirahna's making them virutally unstoppable and even surviving in salt water thriving on human flesh.
Two people named Paul Grogan (William Katt) and Maggie McNamara (Alexandra Paul) accidentally release these pirahna's into a river while battling with Baines.
They travel on a raft as Baines warns them not to put their hand or anything else in the water as these pirahna's travel to the Lost River Lake where Paul's daughter Susie (Mila Kunis) is camping out and swimming so the three of them must reach to her or anyone else residing there before it's too late as well as trying to close the dam before these ferocuious creatures reach the ocean and spawn.

 

There was a fairly decent nighttime scene between a couple at the pool where the pirahna's are giving it a good setting but it does look Z-grade too at the same time.
There's a good fighting sequence with Dr. Leticia Baines by getting into a rage in a laboratory against Paul Grogan andMaggie McNamara which looked like a good struggle.
Good camera shots on people in the water and the camera aiming at them as well as piranha's attacking too.
A nice shot on a fisherman falling into the lake from his boat and screaming frantically while being attacked.
There's a great aggressive attitude with Leticia on a raft towards Paul and Barbara with their reactions.
A good shot on Leticia lying on the raft acting weak with her words after rescuing a child from piranha's as in that scene you wonder if she will make it back to her boat in time..
There's a nice scene between Laura towards Susie Grogan at the camp trying to make her feel welcome when she felt down.
A good shot on both Gina Green and Terry Wechsler in a boat at night but their conversations together was a little corny.
Good reactions on the children cast with the piranha's attacking.
There's good shots on events with people water skiing and doing other actitivities as well as the pirahna's attacking as well.
More good shots on Paul swimming underwater to try and put a stop to the piranha's as it keeps you in suspense wondering how long he will last under water.
Bottom line: Man oh man what a terrible remake of the 1978 cult classic flick made on a bad budget and very little scares to it to top it all off. It's not surprising it only went right to cable TV and then to video. It's almost the exact same plot but with a stale performance so making this film was a waste of time but it had some good familiar faces in the film so I won't give the film the big bomb for that. Better off watching the original film as this one tried to be represented as a Roger Corman flick. Some of his films are good but some of them are plain crap like this one.

The acting is very average but some pull it off well like William Katt (Paul Grogan) as he shows good aggressions and emotions to his part.
Alexandra Paul
(Maggie McNamara) does well with her tough as nails attitude in her part showing a nice character to her part.
Monte Markham
(J.R. Randolph) however, has such a phony Texan accent as a scumbag businessman but comes across nicely as a prick.
Darleen Carr
(Dr. Leticia Baines) shows a good bad ass attitude to her part as a scientist in the film and knew how to get into a rage too.
We spot some terrific blocking with her by swimming in the water towards a child on a boat and struggling from the pirahna's with her striking and splashing in the water.
Former TV's Punky Brewster child star Soleil Moon Frye (Laura) does a nice job as a caring camp counsellor in the film and is believeable as a likeable one.
Kehli O'Byrne
(Gina Green) does a good job by playing a primadonna in the film as she comes across as those types that you don't want to deal with.

Billie Worley (Whitney) reacts well on the phone with his answers about pirahna's attacking in the lake not believing the story at all.

Kehli O'Byrne takes off her top bikini in a boat and is fully bare breasted before jumping into the lake.

Legs are chewn off
A woman's hand is chewn off
Lots of bite marks from piranha's

Christopher Lennertz composes the music but there is nothing too special but the typical classical and synthesizer type action horror music but we've heard it many times before with other films.

Dr. Leticia Baines: Razorteeth! They breed! There's no way to stop them!

Gina Green: I'm kind of like a promotion. You have to earn me.

Whitney: They're eating the guests, sir.

Paul Grogan: The piranha are coming! You've got to believe me!