Thirty minutes could have been snipped out of this film without anyone noticing the difference. What is wrong with the idea of a short film? Does every good idea have to be stretched and contorted to achieve that apparently all-essential 90-minute minimum film-makers believe is necessary or cinema-viewers have come to expect? In condensed form, stories like "Shrieker" could be assembled for a good cable television series. It took talent to create 50-minute macabre masterpieces like "Thriller" and "Outer Limits." If you can stay awake beyond the lengthy setup for this movie, prepare to rock. However, what is intended to pass for suspense is simple boredom. Interestingly enough, the real suspense comes along when the action finally asserts itself. Some good, scary effects, both visual and aural.
