PIRANHA (1995)

William Katt and Darleen Carr

PIRANHA (1995 telefilm). Director: Scott P. Levy.

A writer named Paul Grogan (William Katt) and a private eye named Maggie (Alexandra Paul) look for a wealthy developer's missing daughter. Fearing that the young lady and her boyfriend might have drowned in a pool at an abandoned complex, Maggie drains the water, and inadvertently unleashes a horde of voracious, razor-toothed, foot-long piranha who begin devouring everything in their path (but not each other -- huh?) Paul and Maggie try to stop the critters from reaching a camp where his daughter is staying, as well as a new resort that is scheduled to open that day. 

William Katt

Piranha is a scene-by-scene made-for-cable remake of the original 1978 movie, which was no great shakes to begin with. The most effective scenes in the original are also the most effective in the remake: for instance when the fish nibble away at the ropes holding the raft together as Paul and the others sail down the river. The film is a bit bloodier than the original, and attack sequences, especially on children, are still disturbing (but not nearly as atrocious and ugly as the massacre scene in yet another remake Piranha 3D). William Katt of Carrie fame gives a good performance, although he doesn't make as much of an impression as Brad Dillman in the original. Conversely, Alexandra Paul is more effective and less "cutesy" than Heather Menzies in the '78 version -- her acting definitely got better after Christine. In a sex switch, Darlene Carr is good as the disturbed scientist who has created the deadly breed of killer fish and sacrifices herself to save a child. Monte Markham plays the greedy developer whose daughter becomes fish food in the opening sequence. 

Verdict: Unnecessary remake. **.