Think of it as Willard in the hood, the debut feature from director Leslie Small finds a Isaiah Washington playing a kindly man who turns maniacal with revenge and enlists the help of some man-eating rodents. Living in a rat-infested apartment building, Max is pushed to the edge when his handicapped brother is killed due to the conditions of the inner-city slum. With the rats as his willing soldiers, Max sets out to avenge the senseless death. Hood Rat also stars rapper-turned-actor Ice-T.
Practical Effects
Genuine rat puppets that look hilariously unthreatening.
Acting
Isaiah Washington commits completely to rat-whispering.
Sound
Squeak sound effects cranked to eleven.
Director
Leslie Small
Trivia, insights & behind the scenes
Director Leslie Small later became a prolific comedy special director for Kevin Hart and Dave Chappelle, making this his wild origin story.
Released in 2001, it rode the wave of urban horror like Bones and Tales from the Hood but with zero budget and maximum sincerity.
US
