Mulberry Street(2006)(Review)

The early aughts were a strange time for cinema. Experimentation was on the rise as technology became cheaper and more accessible, and many films were given more exposure due to release strategies such as the After Dark Film Festival & 8 Films to Die For. Today, we’ve got one of said films that’s equally as campy and ambitious, resulting in a surprisingly effective movie.

There’s something weird going on in New York City. Rats are becoming increasingly more violent, but as if that wasn’t bad enough, the people they bite are turning into something worse. They are becoming blood-thirsty cannibals that are hybrids of rats and people themselves.

While our story centers around a high-rise apartment full of realistic, everyday people trying to survive in a bad situation, the mayhem spills out onto the streets – which is impressive and bold. It has the manic energy of “REC” or “Evil Dead Rise”, but since these are rat people they also can chew through walls and operate in a hive-mind mentality. It’s a premise that’s really a fine line between being too silly and effectively scary, and with the camerawork being as frantic and handheld as “28 Days Later”, I believe it does work.

If you’re in the mood for a hybrid between an early 00s zombie flick and a B-grade creature feature, then this one tickles a very particular itch. It’s much better than I anticipated.

3.5/5
“Mulberry Street” is available to rent/purchase on VOD services.

‘Til Next Time,
Mike Cleopatra