Guillermo del Toro's Cabinet of Curiosities (TV Series) Graveyard Rats (2022) User Reviews

Better than the first episode.

[Sleepin_Dragon · 7/10 · 28 October 2022]

A down on his luck grave robber finds himself hunting for treasures in a series of tunnels underneath a graveyard.

I enjoyed this more than episode one, but I did feel as though it was the exact same plotline, with a different central character, and different, better window dressing.

If you hate either rats or confined spaces, this will give you a few uncommon moments, if you have a phobia of both, you're in for an uncomfortable ride.

Greed is once again the theme for this tale, and along with greed comes a huge cost. I'm intrigued to see if that's going to be the trend for the whole series.

It's very, very well made, beautifully produced, some of the special effects are film like quality. The scenes in the tunnels looked great, and evoked real feelings of claustrophobia.

7/10.

He never would have made it past the rats.

[Pjtaylor-96-138044 · 7/10 · 27 October 2022]

'Graveyard Rats (2022)' is the second instalment in 'Guillermo Del Toro's Cabinet Of Curiosities (2022)'. It tells the tale of a grave robber who must face off against a swarm of pseudo super rats who keep stealing the bodies he intends to steal from himself. The first thing you'll probably notice about it is that it has an incredibly similar plot to that of Lot 36 (2022), the previous entry in its series. It's weird how much they have in common and it makes me wonder if all the upcoming stories will also follow the same blueprint. Thankfully, though, the affair's aesthetic and execution are relatively distinct. The piece excels at atmosphere, recreating its gloomy period setting with absolute aplomb. The dancing dialogue, particularly that of the smarmy 'snake-oil salesman' protagonist (I know he doesn't sell snake-oil, but it's a good descriptor of his charming yet sort of pathetic demeanour), is enjoyably chewy. The lead actor is particularly good at being both deplorable and delightful; you can't help but root for the guy. He's also great at scrambling about in panic and anguish in the piece's claustrophobic latter half, displaying an excellent physicality and playing a large part in making those sequences as effective as they are. The story has a solid pacing to it and achieves a good balance between set-up and payoff, taking a number of relatively unexpected turns prior to arriving at its predictable conclusion. It's genuinely suspenseful at times and its horror works well, making good use of the inherently stressful surroundings its back half takes place exclusively within. Its visual effects are also surprisingly good. It's a really solid and enjoyable effort that does exactly what it needs to.

Them filthy rodents are still coming for your souls!

[Coventry · 8/10 · 26 December 2022]

After the feeble and totally unremarkable first episode, I was mentally preparing myself to sit through the whole "Cabinet of Curiosities" series on autopilot. Because, you know, the other seven episodes probably won't be any good, neither. But here's a good reminder never to judge too quick, as the second installment is GREAT!

What's the difference between "Graveyard Rats" and the vastly inferior "Lot 36"? Well, simply put, everything! It's based on a classic creep-story by Henry Kuttner, the atmosphere and scenery are wondrously Lovecraftian, there's suspense, there's gore, and there are fabulous monsters, monsters, monsters! Grave robber Masson faces gigantic red-eyed rats on the left and materialistic zombies to the right, but his biggest enemy remains his rotten and loathsome self.

"Graveyard Rats" is stupendous horror entertainment! It's mean, it's nasty, and it's straightforward gruesome. Surprisingly enough, this short film was directed by Vincenzo Natali, and he generally isn't known for raw and brutal type of horror flicks. This isn't complex and intellectual, like "Cube" or "Cypher", and thankfully so!

*Note: the review subject line comes from the lyrics of "Rats" by the Swedish metal band sensation Ghost.

Slightly better than the first, not by much

[herminiobraz-10996 · 6/10 · 25 October 2022]

The themes of this episode are similar to the ones in Lot 36 (greed is bad), thought this time at least the story feels mostly complete.

That being said we again have an unlikable protagonist (though this time at least there seems to be an attempt to redeem the character) and unlikable secondary characters.

The plot moves along at a good pace and the visuals are quite good for the most part. However the music and sound design was a bit distracting to me and the dialogue was just okay (the protagonist speaks to himself quite a lot and likes to monologue to other characters in a grandiose manner that I found a bit annoying).

All said, it's a bit better than Lot 36 but nothing special. Hopefully the quality continues to rise until it reaches levels of good and great.

Fun, Quick Ride

[brijcorns-948-111883 · 7/10 · 27 October 2022]

This one was a lot of fun. The cinematography added great Whale-esque (or is it Whale-ian?), old horror atmosphere & the plot moved along quickly without feeling rushed. The sound of the rats coming through my back speakers had my skin crawling & the lead actor's reactions to said creatures only heightened the gross-out. Thinking of the lead actor, many might find his performance over the top or grandiose, but I'm sure that was intentional as that was the character's personality - verbosity as defense mechanism kind of dude.

This episode didn't leave me feeling cheated of more closure as Lot 36 did, although I'd enjoy a whole series based on whatever or wherever it was out anti-hero crawled into.

Started slow but that ending

[ladyliliroche · 8/10 · 25 October 2022]

This one a good episode. Started bit slow to establish the character then the horror aspect just keep building and building until the ends.

You ended up kinda rooting for the guy despite his personality (just because hes going through so much) but you also know he probably shouldnt go through what he went through to get some money.

It is a much better episode compared to the lot 36 and i like the overall episode. Definitely a good watch for horror episode. Did not disappoint and there was a lot of gross things in it too for those old school horror lover.

The rats are well done too. Good job them.

Caught between a rat and a half-corpse.

[BA_Harrison · 16 December 2022]

Grave robber Masson (David Hewlett) owes money to some dodgy types who would happily see him dead if he cannot pay. The latest body to be interred in the cemetery has been buried with a valuable sword, but will Masson be quick enough with his shovel before the rats that live underground make off with the stiff?

This is the first episode of Del Toro's macabre series that I have watched and I enjoyed it a lot (I've heard the first one isn't so good). The plot (based on a short story by Henry Kuttner) is nothing remarkable, but director Vincent Natali (Cube, Cypher, Splice) does a great job in building the atmosphere and horror, increasing the tension and heightening the sense of claustrophobia, bringing matters to a satisfyingly gruesome climax. Along the way, he throws in a giant mutated rat, a few Lovecraftian touches, and a zombie, all of which adds to the fun.

Decent horror.

[W011y4m5 · 7/10 · 26 October 2022]

"Graveyard Rats" is a massive improvement on the first episode of this spooky anthology series & tells a well paced, macabre tale that admittedly does play on pretty much all the very familiar horror tropes (so it doesn't do anything particularly original) but it does so in a way which is still effective, despite the lack of uniqueness - largely in thanks to Vincenzo Natali's excellent direction.

I've always recognised him as a very visually distinctive director & that vision translates effectively to the screen here, helping to provide the narrative with its own individualistic sense of identity, setting it apart from the rest, which does aid in preventing the concept from feeling tired, even if it is a little basic & derivative.

Moreover, I found the way in which he captured the motivations of the character to be really helpful in conveying the stakes to the audience, justifying his actions & why he'd take such risky decisions - so the intentions of the piece were clear from beginning to end & although the protagonist may not have been entirely likeable, they were however relatable - which is all that matters, in the grand scheme of things.

All in all, it's no masterpiece but it's still a solid outing & had quirks to appreciate.

Strong adaptation of a classic horror story

[Leofwine_draca · 8/10 · 6 November 2022]

Well, this second episode of the new del Toro anthology series is considerably better than the first one! I really enjoyed it actually, and found it a serious and literate adaptation of the Henry Kuttner short story. Kuttner's an author whose pulp era works are rarely adapted for the screen, and I was delighted that they kept things close to the story as well as retaining the early 20th century setting. It's a straightforward tale with little preamble, essentially charting the progress of a grave robber as he comes to a sticky end. The monster design is excellent on both fronts and the claustrophobic underground sets reminded me of the Vietcong.

Iron maiden's No Prayer for the Dying live action

[dikeroc · 7/10 · 29 October 2022]

Clearly inspired by the cover of the aforementioned heavy metal album this episode is much better than the previous one. It combines humour with great cinematography and a sense of claustrophobia. The series hasn't yet reached the levels of great but there is a clear improvement here. Unfortunately what we have seen can only scare you if you are 12 years old and younger. Up to now it falls to the usual 6-7 Netflix level. We have to add that the acting is top notch and the soundscape and special effects are of the highest level. It certainly renewed my interest to keep watching the series. Let's see...

Am I Missing Something?

[flowerstardust1979 · 3/10 · 28 October 2022]

I don't understand why people have really rated this episode. I love horror but found this incredibly silly, boring and not remotely scary. Maybe it's an acquired taste. I don't class this as the type of horror that I personally enjoy.

I assumed this was going to be truly terrifying or a psychological horror, as I have enjoyed a lot of del Toro's previous work. This wasn't for me. I zoned out which means I was bored.

This was full of bad acting, robotic giant rat and an incredibly silly story. I hope the next episode's are better, if not then this is incredibly disappointing for me. Maybe it's a sub genre that certain people enjoy. I prefer scares and depth, this had neither.

Something is amiss beneath the soil...

[paul_haakonsen · 8/10 · 9 November 2022]

"Graveyard Rats" is the title of the second episode of season 1 of the "Guillermo del Toro's Cabinet of Curiosities".

This episode written by Henry Kuttner and Guillermo del Toro, and directed by Vincenzo Natali.

Wow. Just wow. This episode was nothing short of spectacular. And after a tremendous first episode of the season, "Graveyard Rats" comes at you like a freight train at top speed.

The atmosphere in "Graveyard Rats" was six feet under, pardon the pun.

I loved this episode, and it was a very claustrophobic and disturbing tale, one that was very well written by Henry Kuttner and Guillermo del Toro.

Leading actor David Hewlett was so well cast for the leading role of Masson, and he really gave the episode so much life - as long as it lasted, that is.

Now, visually then I was in awe over episode two. The visuals in "Graveyard Rats" was just spectacular, and those alone makes it well worth watching this episode.

My rating of "Graveyard Rats" lands on an eight out of ten stars.

Lightweight but entertainingly gruesome

[jamesrupert2014 · 6/10 · 10 January 2023]

Masson (David Hewlett), an increasingly desperate grave-robber, plies his sepulchral trade in the dismal rat-infested tunnels beneath old Salem. The basic story is similar to the first episode of the series and design similarities (see trivia-spoilers entry) suggest that the 'worlds' (or the 'otherworlds') may be related. Hewlett is fine as the verbose plunderer and the story moves along from boo! To boo! Quite briskly. Although there is not much novel in the grim imagery, it is quite well done and director Vincenzo Natali and crew do an excellent job evoking feelings of claustrophobia and terror as Masson squirms through the narrow, collapsing tunnels. Not great but an improvement on the series' inaugural episode.

Embraces That It's Silly

[frankelee · 4/10 · 30 October 2022]

This episode felt more like Are You Afraid of the Dark than an adult horror film, sort of silly horror that knows it's silly and not at all scary. This is an improvement over the first episode which was just as silly, but took itself seriously.

The main character is right out of some 80s comedy, he speaks in a ridiculously affected way, that's maybe trying to be satirically old-timey sounding, while obviously not being anything like what people sounded like a hundred years ago. He's a cemetery keeper who collects jewelry and gold teeth off the dead to pay his loans back, which apparently he took out from the mob. Two episodes in a row where somebody owed the mob money. Maybe try a bank? Maybe try a new idea?

This character's criminal efforts are plagued by rats, who themselves covet the treasures of the dead, and I will say he really takes this in stride. Isn't really worried about it, doesn't freak out about it, doesn't set off any alarms to him that this would be beyond the bounds of the natural world. Just another thing you gotta deal with, ya know?

Most of the episode is about him traveling underground fighting rats. And the action is frequently comedic, like when he blows off his toe trying to shoot rats (don't worry, it's an entirely superficial wound that has no bearing on the plot). Even when things get weirder than supernatural rats, he doesn't worry about it, and remains focused on looting the dead.

The ending was just sort of, dreamlike, it didn't make any literal sense whatsoever. Like I said, very Nickelodeon level horror.

Another Guy Who Owes Money

[Hitchcoc · 7/10 · 28 October 2022]

A grave robber who tries to take valuables from coffins (even pulling the teeth out) is beset by rats. He finds a guy at the morgue who is going to be buried with lots of valuable junk, waits for the funeral, and then tries to break into the coffin. But there are rats everywhere and they take the bodies to wherever they live. He follows them and we have another crude, disgusting world where all the skeletons of the bodies end up. He gets stuck down there. Again, he has no chance against the obstacles so it takes some of the fun away. Nevertheless, it is non-stop action and about as claustrophobic as one can get.

A step up from the previous entry, flawed but interesting

[wellthatswhatithinkanyway · 7/10 · 8 January 2023]

STAR RATING: ***** Brilliant **** Very Good *** Okay ** Poor * Awful

Masson (David Hewlett) is a grave robber, who gets by stealing artefacts from the deceased, lying in their graves. However, he's fallen on hard times, and pressure from the undesirable clientele he does business with drive him to pull off a daring job on the body of the recently deceased husband of a wealthy widow who recently visited the local funeral parlour. However, this time Masson may finally have met his match, when he crosses some furry scavengers who have their own eyes on the ball.

The second part of Guillermo Del Toro's COC tales runs at a similarly short run time as the last episode, once again not developing the most fleshed out of stories. Like Lot 36, we are presented with a similarly unsympathetic, slimy character, this one veering into outright criminality. But this time around, we have the first of a recurring theme in future tales, with the story taking place within a period setting, allowing it to escape the trappings of modern times, and exist organically within a period of darker, less developed backwardness.

Without a fully fleshed out story at hand, here the attention falls on the visuals, Del Toro's trademark staple, and here these are stripped of any sense of wonder, and instead focus on creating a nightmarish, gruelling experience, a feeling of tight claustrophobia, which anyone who feels uncomfortable with rats should avoid, but, like I said, with such an unsympathetic character at the helm, it's hard to empathise much with his predicament. From a visual perspective, it acheives this quite well, but without any strong story development, it doesn't quite have the impact it should.

It's adapted from a short story by Henry Kuttner. Even within the framework of this, it struggles to really create enough depth to work on screen, but at least visually it is effective. ***

Amazing second episode

[JonyVeana · 10/10 · 18 November 2022]

Another great episode, very claustrophobic, its a guy who robs graveyards and i understand the guy he owns money in own money, the debt collectors can be knocking at my door in any moment while i write this review, so i need money and i will do anything to have the money the same as the guy in this episode, debts can make us do horrible and scare things, so its a very common scenario, The director of the cube is great in here and The voyager actor too, Amazon effect in the rat and in the zombie congratulation's again to the cast and directorial department, excited for episode 3 and probably the best because the third part it's always the best.

Episode 2

[bobcobb301 · 6/10 · 5 November 2022]

This began as a fairly interesting tale, a man with a history of robbery trying anything at his disposal to pull off a heist and to survive his own attacks, but then it got way too weird.

There were rats, normal size and a massive one, attacking him. That's fine for a scare at the end, and we did get that actually, but you cannot have the bulk of an episode be a man running away from rats.

I want this show to work because I love this format, but it looks like they are spending far too much time on the spooky moments and the supernatural elements than actually telling a good story, start to finish.

Horrifying and Claustrophobic

[davidm-14 · 9/10 · 25 October 2022]

A pitiless graverobber, while searching for valuables to sell in a cemetery, finds himself in a horrifying underground hell. As he looks for a way to escape, the situation becomes more dire. Narrow tunnels and coffins are everywhere. The special effects are amazing, and the feeling of being closed in is conveyed very effectively. I have a bit of claustrophobia myself, and it really did start to kick in a bit. Also, if you get queasy watching someone yank out fillings from decomposed corpeses, maybe skip this one.

David Hewlett, who is familiar from the Stargate series, is excellent here. Who knew he was such a good actor?

Good

[ashfordofficial · 6/10 · 3 November 2022]

Production quality was stupendous and reminded me of old school big budget Hollywood films. Probably Vincenzo Natali's first good directorial work and with a feature length runtime he could've flesh out this story. I loved the concept, the set pieces and the gorgeous gothic atmosphere.

2. Production quality was stupendous and reminded me of old school big budget Hollywood films. Probably Vincenzo Natali's first good directorial work and with a feature length runtime he could've flesh out this story. I loved the concept, the set pieces and the gorgeous gothic atmosphere.

3. Production quality was stupendous and reminded me of old school big budget Hollywood films. Probably Vincenzo Natali's first good directorial work and with a feature length runtime he could've flesh out this story. I loved the concept, the set pieces and the gorgeous gothic atmosphere.

Disappointing

[jessicacanderson-06643 · 4/10 · 29 October 2022]

The story itself isn't terrible, but it is predictable and follows the first episode's character motivation to a T. A man needs money, and goes to grave robbing to do so. I felt that there was a bit of randomness tossed in that didn't feel it meshed well. There are rats, and then a different entity (I won't say) that comes about but is never really explained. At one point it seems as though the story will touch on something more clever, or offer a twist, but honestly it's a pretty straightforward horror plot with subpar characters, little development, and an obvious conclusion. I will say that the special effects were well done, and the claustrophobia aspect was well shown. But that doesn't offer much to the episode overall.

When a Big rat and a skeleton are after you

[AvionPrince16 · 8/10 · 27 October 2022]

Clap! Clap! Clap! This story and its visuals were awesome wnd really give the tension and the horror behind its ambience and visuals. The start is pretty slow and take time to make us know who is the main character and his greediness and the love of money. When he will try to have the objects who have big value in the falls and we will see another mood and a totally different experience. The man will be punished by his own greediness. The rats really give me goosebumps and i really didnt want to be in that character's place and the horror with that rats are well made (the scene at the end when the rats go out from his mouth and body when we see the guys who our main character argue with them at the beginning was really well made and believable. The big rat and the skeleton really was well made and give us more tension. A really nice episode of horror and a nice ambience. Careful with rats and greediness: not a good mix!

Better than the first

[gianmarcoronconi · 6/10 · 28 October 2022]

Already with the second episode the series gets up a bit, always bringing a criticism of avarice but still done better than the first and above all in a less flat and more entertaining way. This time it's the story of a tomb raider in the same debt condition as the first protagonist but set in the past. In the episode the mice are rendered very well and all the galleries give a wonderful and very disturbing sense of claustrophobia, despite this in my opinion the other enemies besides the mice and their '' king '' are not necessary and indeed they are a bit useless as the additional setting under the caves which is completely useless and left there without any further study. The ending of the story is also trivial but it is still beautiful and disturbing.

Just a Regular Fear Scaled Up

[MeadtheMan · 4/10 · 29 October 2022]

Quite frankly, it's a little boring. They're just commonplace fears - of cemeteries, rats, the Black Death etc - that are blown up. I think what could be scarier is those that we've hardly thought of - like some shown in the Black Mirrors - or those that preside in all of us, in one way or another - like some of Haneke's. What's punishable? Greed. Why is that man greedy? He's poor and desperate for money.

The writing could be more imaginative too. It is all a string of predictable and familiar scenes. And 'Malaysia'? That country didn't even exist until 1963... what's the period set in this episode again?

And don't get me started on the CGI...

rats episode

[logancodel · 6/10 · 1 November 2022]

Rats we're rats we're the rats we prey at night we stalk at night we're the rats

I'M THE GIANT RAT THAT MAKES ALL OF THE RULES

let's see what kind of trouble we can get ourselves into

This is what was in my head as I was watching this episode, and it's truly not an inaccurate description of the plot. An unexpected effect of this was that it gave this episode an air of comedy. I'm sure that if you're a claustrophobe or afraid of rats this episode would be really scary. But once you start to think it's funny, it stays that way. A goofy poor main character finds himself yelling epithets at a bunch of rats. This also happens in Ratatouille.