{ "id": "epy1c5g2fz", "slug": "grabbers", "title": "Grabbers", "updated": "2026-11-01", "topic_path": [ { "id": "culture", "label": "Arts and culture", "api_url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/api/v1/topics/culture" }, { "id": "culture.performance", "label": "Screen and stage", "api_url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/api/v1/topics/culture.performance" }, { "id": "culture.performance.screen", "label": "Film and television", "api_url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/api/v1/topics/culture.performance.screen" }, { "id": "culture.performance.screen.films", "label": "Films and standalone screen works", "api_url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/api/v1/topics/culture.performance.screen.films" }, { "id": "culture.performance.screen.films.films.individual-works", "label": "Individual films by title and year", "api_url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/api/v1/topics/culture.performance.screen.films.films.individual-works" }, { "id": "culture.performance.screen.films.films.individual-works.horror", "label": "Horror 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"https://www.edgepedia.org/api/v1/geo/geo.weu.t2001.culture.performance.screen.films" }, { "id": "geo.weu.t2001.culture.performance.screen.films.films.individual-works", "label": "Individual films by title and year", "api_url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/api/v1/geo/geo.weu.t2001.culture.performance.screen.films.films.individual-works" }, { "id": "geo.weu.t2001.culture.performance.screen.films.films.individual-works.horror", "label": "Horror films (individual works)", "api_url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/api/v1/geo/geo.weu.t2001.culture.performance.screen.films.films.individual-works.horror" } ] } ], "excerpt": "Grabbers (2012) is an Irish-British comedy horror directed by Jon Wright, written by Kevin Lehane, starring Richard Coyle and Ruth Bradley: bloodsucking aliens invade an Irish island, and only drunk islanders survive.", "snippet": "Grabbers (2012) is an Irish-British comedy horror directed by Jon Wright, written by Kevin Lehane, starring Richard Coyle and Ruth Bradley: bloodsucking aliens invade an Irish island, and only drunk islanders survive.", "node": "culture.performance.screen.films.films.individual-works.horror.comedy-horror-films.2000s-and-2010s-comedy-horror-films", "markdown": "# Grabbers\n\n**Grabbers** is a 2012 Irish-British comedy horror film directed by Jon Wright and written by Kevin Lehane, in which the residents of a fictional island off the coast of Ireland survive an invasion of bloodsucking, tentacled aliens by getting drunk, because the creatures cannot tolerate a high blood-alcohol level in their victims.[1](https://irishfilmdb.com/movies/grabbers/) • [2](https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/grabbers) It stars [Richard Coyle](https://www.edgepedia.org/richard-coyle), Ruth Bradley, Russell Tovey, and [Bronagh Gallagher](https://www.edgepedia.org/bronagh-gallagher), runs 94 minutes, and premiered as an Official Selection at the 2012 [Sundance Film Festival](https://www.edgepedia.org/sundance-film-festival).[1](https://irishfilmdb.com/movies/grabbers/) • [3](https://www.justwatch.com/uk/movie/grabbers)\n\n| Key fact | Detail |\n|---|---|\n| Director / writer | Jon Wright (director), Kevin Lehane (screenplay)[1](https://irishfilmdb.com/movies/grabbers/) |\n| Lead cast | Richard Coyle as Garda Ciarán O'Shea, Ruth Bradley as Garda Lisa Nolan, Russell Tovey as Dr. Adam Smith, Bronagh Gallagher as Una Maher[4](https://www.rogerebert.com/reviews/grabbers-2012) |\n| Runtime and country | 94 minutes; United Kingdom and Ireland co-production[3](https://www.justwatch.com/uk/movie/grabbers) |\n| Central premise | Bloodsucking tentacled aliens are deterred by a high blood-alcohol rate, so the islanders hold a drunken lock-in at the pub to survive[5](https://www.theguardian.com/film/2012/dec/27/grabbers-review) |\n| Festival profile | Official Selection at Sundance 2012, plus Edinburgh, Karlovy Vary, Fantasia, Sitges, and the Galway Film Fleadh, among others[1](https://irishfilmdb.com/movies/grabbers/) |\n| Awards | 4 wins and 11 nominations, including IFTA Best Actress Film for Ruth Bradley (2013)[6](https://www.imdb.com/title/tt1525366/awards/) |\n| Critical scores | Metascore 62 on Metacritic; 68% Tomatometer on Rotten Tomatoes (31 reviews); 6.3/10 on IMDb[7](https://www.metacritic.com/movie/grabbers/critic-reviews/) • [2](https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/grabbers) |\n\n## Spoilers\n\n### Plot and premise\n\nThe story is set on Erin Island, a sleepy fishing village off Ireland's coast. Fishermen begin to disappear, and whale carcasses wash up on the beach; when the murders start, two mismatched Garda officers, the charming but heavy-drinking Ciarán O'Shea (Richard Coyle) and his by-the-book new partner Lisa Nolan ([Ruth Bradley](https://www.edgepedia.org/ruth-bradley)), assigned from the mainland, must protect the townsfolk from giant, bloodsucking, tentacled aliens.[1](https://irishfilmdb.com/movies/grabbers/) • [8](https://filmsandfestivals.britishcouncil.org/projects/grabbers)\n\nThe creatures, called grabbers, feed on blood and water and shrug off conventional weaponry. Their one weakness is discovered by chance: they are deterred by a high blood-alcohol rate in a potential victim. The townspeople's only defense is to gather in the local pub, The Hair of the Dog, and drink heavily until the storm-driven onslaught passes.[5](https://www.theguardian.com/film/2012/dec/27/grabbers-review) • [9](https://www.theguardian.com/film/2012/dec/30/grabbers-review-philip-french) The conceit creates a comic problem for Lisa, who is teetotal and has never been drunk in her life.[10](https://www.timeout.com/movies/grabbers) Supporting characters include the English marine ecologist Dr. [Adam Smith](https://www.edgepedia.org/adam-smith) ([Russell Tovey](https://www.edgepedia.org/russell-tovey)), the fisherman Paddy Barrett (Lalor Roddy), who first captures a grabber and keeps it in his bathtub, and pub landlady Una Maher (Bronagh Gallagher), who believes the lock-in is a birthday celebration for her.[5](https://www.theguardian.com/film/2012/dec/27/grabbers-review) • [4](https://www.rogerebert.com/reviews/grabbers-2012)\n\n## Origin and production\n\nWriter Kevin Lehane, an IFTA and Writers' Guild of Great Britain-nominated screenwriter, conceived the idea while backpacking in the [Cook Islands](https://www.edgepedia.org/cook-islands). Repeatedly bitten by mosquitos, he was told to eat Marmite because of a folk belief that its vitamin B content deters the insects through the smell of a person's sweat. While having a beer, he wondered whether he could instead give the mosquitos alcohol poisoning, then Googled \"vampires allergic to alcohol\" and was surprised the conceit had not been used before. He wrote the script in about six weeks after returning home.[11](https://www.denofgeek.com/movies/kevin-lehane-interview-grabbers-twitter-and-filming-in-the-rain/)\n\nThe script, which topped the UK's annual Brit List of hottest unproduced projects, reached producers Tracy Brimm and Kate Myers of Forward Films in November 2009. It was the second feature from Jon Wright, whose debut horror film was *Tormented* (2009).[12](https://www.screendaily.com/grabbers-/5023551.article) Filming took place in Belfast and Donegal, and the budget was cut by nearly £2 million from an original figure of around £6 million during pre-production, forcing rewrites such as replacing a planned water-based chase set piece with the cave scene that appears in the finished film.[12](https://www.screendaily.com/grabbers-/5023551.article) • [11](https://www.denofgeek.com/movies/kevin-lehane-interview-grabbers-twitter-and-filming-in-the-rain/) The film was financed with support from the Irish Film Board, the UK Film Council, and the Northern Ireland Screen Fund backed by Invest NI and part funded by the European Regional Development Fund.[13](https://www.iftn.ie/news/?act1=record&aid=73&force=1&only=1&rid=4285222&tpl=archnews) Production companies included Samson Films, Forward Films, High Treason Productions, and Nvizible, with cinematography by Trevor Forrest, editing by Matt Platts-Mills, music by Christian Henson, and visual effects by Nvizible.[1](https://irishfilmdb.com/movies/grabbers/) • [10](https://www.timeout.com/movies/grabbers)\n\n## Release\n\nThe film premiered at the Sundance Film Festival in 2012 and was released in Irish cinemas on August 10, 2012.[14](https://www.tempoproductions.net/film/grabbers) • [15](https://www.donegaldaily.com/index.php/news/donegal-film-grabbing-rave-reviews-49172) It opened in the United Kingdom on December 26, 2012.[1](https://irishfilmdb.com/movies/grabbers/) Sony released it in the UK and Ireland, IFC Films and IFC Midnight released it in the United States, and Ascot Elite handled Germany; it was sold internationally by The Salt Company.[14](https://www.tempoproductions.net/film/grabbers) • [16](https://www.imdb.com/title/tt1525366/companycredits/) According to its sales agent, the film was released in most territories worldwide, including Russia, where it reached the box office top ten.[14](https://www.tempoproductions.net/film/grabbers)\n\n## Reception\n\nCritics generally received the film favorably, with reviewers repeatedly comparing it to the 1990 American monster comedy *Tremors*. Kim Newman's review in *Empire* called it \"a near-irresistible Friday-night-out monster picture in the tradition of Lake Placid or Tremors, with a boozy Irish charm,\" and Robbie Collin in *The Telegraph* called it \"one of those rare horror films with an unimprovable premise.\"[7](https://www.metacritic.com/movie/grabbers/critic-reviews/) On Metacritic the film scored 62 from 12 reviews, with six positive and six mixed and none negative.[7](https://www.metacritic.com/movie/grabbers/critic-reviews/) Rotten Tomatoes records a 68% Tomatometer from 31 reviews and a 52% audience score.[2](https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/grabbers)\n\nSome critics found limits in the genre hybrid. Sam Adams in *The A.V. Club* wrote that once the battle is joined, what began as sharp-edged parody starts to feel like imitation, and that the film \"only nails one\" of its two genres; Noel Murray in *The Dissolve* judged it under-realized compared with *Tremors* and *The Host*. Time Out's Nigel Floyd praised Kevin Lehane's script and Nvizible's visual effects but felt the climactic showdown shifted focus away from the pub and the drunken locals, diluting the ensemble feel.[7](https://www.metacritic.com/movie/grabbers/critic-reviews/) • [10](https://www.timeout.com/movies/grabbers) Peter Bradshaw in *The Guardian* gave it 3 out of 5 stars, calling it \"fantastically silly, often funny, with some unshowy but very serviceable digital effects.\"[5](https://www.theguardian.com/film/2012/dec/27/grabbers-review) An Estudios Irlandeses survey of Irish film in 2012 placed the film in the tradition of *Tremors*, noting its 1950s sci-fi style scene fades and its play with Irish cinematic stereotypes.[17](https://www.estudiosirlandeses.org/wp-content/uploads/2013/05/IrishFilmandTV_2012.pdf)\n\n## Awards\n\nThe film won four awards and received eleven nominations. Ruth Bradley won the IFTA Award for Best Actress Film at the 2013 Irish Film and Television Awards, where the film was also nominated for Best Film and Best Script Film, and Bronagh Gallagher was nominated for Best Supporting Actress.[6](https://www.imdb.com/title/tt1525366/awards/) Jon Wright won the Audience Award and the Titra Film Award at the Neuchâtel International Fantastic Film Festival in 2012, and the Audience Prize at the Strasbourg International Film Festival the same year.[6](https://www.imdb.com/title/tt1525366/awards/) Kevin Lehane received nominations for the Writers' Guild of Great Britain Award for Best First Screenplay and the Fangoria Chainsaw Award for Best Screenplay.[6](https://www.imdb.com/title/tt1525366/awards/)\n\n## Availability\n\nStreaming availability varies by country. In the United States, the film has been available on subscription services including AMC+, Shudder, Sundance Now, Philo, and [YouTube TV](https://www.edgepedia.org/youtube-tv), and free with ads on [The Roku Channel](https://www.edgepedia.org/the-roku-channel), with rentals on Amazon Video and the Apple TV Store.[18](https://www.justwatch.com/us/movie/grabbers) In the United Kingdom it can be bought or rented on Apple TV Store, Amazon Video, Rakuten TV, and Sky Store, with no free streaming options at the time of the most recent check.[3](https://www.justwatch.com/uk/movie/grabbers) It is not currently available on Netflix, Disney+, or Prime Video in the markets tracked by streaming guides.[19](https://stream-tracker.com/en/film/grabbers-2012)\n\n## References\n\n1. [Grabbers, Irish Film Database](https://irishfilmdb.com/movies/grabbers/)\n2. [Grabbers, Rotten Tomatoes](https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/grabbers)\n3. [Grabbers (2012), JustWatch UK](https://www.justwatch.com/uk/movie/grabbers)\n4. [Grabbers movie review & film summary, RogerEbert.com](https://www.rogerebert.com/reviews/grabbers-2012)\n5. [Grabbers – review, The Guardian (Peter Bradshaw)](https://www.theguardian.com/film/2012/dec/27/grabbers-review)\n6. [Grabbers (2012) – Awards, IMDb](https://www.imdb.com/title/tt1525366/awards/)\n7. [Grabbers critic reviews, Metacritic](https://www.metacritic.com/movie/grabbers/critic-reviews/)\n8. [Grabbers, British Council UK Films Database](https://filmsandfestivals.britishcouncil.org/projects/grabbers)\n9. [Grabbers – review, The Guardian (Philip French)](https://www.theguardian.com/film/2012/dec/30/grabbers-review-philip-french)\n10. [Grabbers 2012, directed by Jon Wright, Time Out](https://www.timeout.com/movies/grabbers)\n11. [Kevin Lehane interview: Grabbers, Twitter, and filming in the rain, Den of Geek](https://www.denofgeek.com/movies/kevin-lehane-interview-grabbers-twitter-and-filming-in-the-rain/)\n12. [Grabbers, Screen Daily](https://www.screendaily.com/grabbers-/5023551.article)\n13. [Interview: Grabbing A Word With Director Jon Wright, IFTN](https://www.iftn.ie/news/?act1=record&aid=73&force=1&only=1&rid=4285222&tpl=archnews)\n14. [Grabbers, Tempo Productions](https://www.tempoproductions.net/film/grabbers)\n15. [Donegal film 'Grabbing' rave reviews, Donegal Daily](https://www.donegaldaily.com/index.php/news/donegal-film-grabbing-rave-reviews-49172)\n16. [Grabbers (2012) – Company credits, IMDb](https://www.imdb.com/title/tt1525366/companycredits/)\n17. [Irish Film and Television 2012, Estudios Irlandeses](https://www.estudiosirlandeses.org/wp-content/uploads/2013/05/IrishFilmandTV_2012.pdf)\n18. [Grabbers streaming: where to watch movie online, JustWatch US](https://www.justwatch.com/us/movie/grabbers)\n19. [Grabbers – available on Netflix and streaming platforms?, Stream Tracker](https://stream-tracker.com/en/film/grabbers-2012)\n\n---\n*Topic: Encyclopedia › Arts and culture › Screen and stage › Film and television › Films and standalone screen works › Individual films by title and year › Horror films (individual works) › Comedy horror films › 2000s and 2010s comedy horror films*\n\n*Initially written Oct 3, 2026 · Reviewed: Oct 25, 2026 · Edited: Oct 15, 2026; Oct 25, 2026; Nov 1, 2026 · Last review: Oct 25, 2026*\n\n*Copyright 2026 EdgeChat AI, a subsidiary of Biostate AI.*\n\nLicense: Edgepedia Community License 1.0, https://www.edgepedia.org/edgepedia/license\n", "same_as": [], "url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/grabbers", "markdown_url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/grabbers.md", "license": { "name": "Edgepedia Community License 1.0", "url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/edgepedia/license", "summary": "Free with credit, commercial use included. AI training is open to everyone. For other uses, organizations over USD 100M in revenue or 100M monthly users license separately.", "spdx": "LicenseRef-Edgepedia-Community-1.0" }, "credit": "\"Grabbers\", Edgepedia (EdgeChat), https://www.edgepedia.org/grabbers. Edgepedia Community License 1.0.", "credit_md": "\"[Grabbers](https://www.edgepedia.org/grabbers)\", Edgepedia (EdgeChat), [https://www.edgepedia.org/grabbers](https://www.edgepedia.org/grabbers). [Edgepedia Community License 1.0](https://www.edgepedia.org/edgepedia/license).", "credit_html": "\"Grabbers\", Edgepedia (EdgeChat), https://www.edgepedia.org/grabbers. Edgepedia Community License 1.0.", "speakable": "Grabbers is an Irish-British comedy horror directed by Jon Wright, written by Kevin Lehane, starring Richard Coyle and Ruth Bradley: bloodsucking aliens invade an Irish island, and only drunk islanders survive." }