Something dangerous and radioactive is living under New York City. They are the Cannibalistic Humanoid Underground Dwellers! Also known as mutant people who grab normal people from the streets and bring them underground to feast on them.

This is a cult classic starring John Heard as a photographer and Daniel Stern who works at a homeless shelter. They uncover the dangerous C.H.U.D.s and try to warn people before anyone else gets hurt (or eaten), but the director of the Nuclear Regulatory Commission is covering up the fact that radioactive waste has been stored under New York City, which is what caused the underground dwellers to mutate. There is also an NYPD captain (Christopher Curry) who is trying to find his missing wife.

The acting is what you’d expect from the time period and the budget. The ominous synth soundtrack brings a nice eerie sensibility to a lot of the scenes.

It’s not the best horror movie, but it has some fun moments and is considered an 80s New York City classic. The creature effects of the C.H.U.D.s themselves are rather lame, but they keep enough of the monsters obscured to not be too obvious that it’s just rubber latex coverings. You probably won’t be scared, but you will be entertained.

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