I acknowledge that I belong to a niche audience that appreciates absurd horror films, and I have come to terms with this aspect of my identity. I enjoy what some might call B-rated horror films, such as Zombeavers, which I found exceptionally entertaining; VelociPastor, notable for its so-bad-it’s-good quality; and Sharks of the Corn (no comment). So, you can imagine my delight when a movie called The Invisible Raptor landed in my inbox.

The Invisible Raptor is precisely what it sounds like. The movie begins with two scientists working in an underground lab, one of whom is unexpectedly portrayed by Sean Astin. As the story unfolds, we discover that they have genetically engineered an invisible raptor, which is contained in a jail cell within the lab. Chance the Raptor (yep, that’s his name) escapes and wreaks havoc around town.

Meanwhile, we are introduced to Dr. Grant Walker (portrayed by Mike Capes), who is a paleontologist working at DinoWorld, a dinosaur-themed amusement park. He is joined by Denny, a security guard played by Jim Shackelford. The plot thickens when Dr. Grant’s ex-girlfriend, Amber (played by Caitlin McHugh), unexpectedly shows up, adding another layer to the story and potential victim for the raptor.

Grant, Denny and Amber must save the town from the invisible raptor’s destruction. But will anyone believe them?

Have I lost you yet? Hang in there, because as ridiculous as this movie sounds, it is more clever than it appears. The film is directed by Mike Hermosa and co-written by Capes (who plays Dr. Grant) and Johnny Wickham. I enjoy discovering actors who work both in front of and behind the camera. It truly demonstrates their craft!

Capes, as Dr. Grant, and Shackleford, as Denny, make an incredible comedic duo. Grant’s character is reminiscent of Ryan Reynolds, while Denny reminds me of Ernest P. Worrell. Their buddy-cop banter had me laughing throughout the film. It’s slapstick and crude, which I love now and again. Don’t get me wrong; a lot of it is potty humor, but there are also several clever jokes here. For example, at one point, someone says, “I have my eye on it,” and the next thing you know, the raptor has ripped their eyeball out. This comedy is simple, yet perfectly timed!

I truly value the effort and thoughtfulness that is put into it.

There are several references to Jurassic Park and other films by Steven Spielberg throughout the movie. Dr. Grant is named after Sam Neill’s character, Dr. Alan Grant, and he dresses like him. Amber serves as a nod to the amber stone that preserved the mosquito and also dresses like Ellie at one point. There’s also a child named Elliot, who leaves a trail of candy for the raptor, a reference to E.T. Additionally, Vanessa Chester, who appeared in The Lost World: Jurassic Park, makes a cameo.

You’ll notice some references to Jaws when you see them. If you’ve read my previous columns, I appreciate fan service, so I am delighted to see these tributes to one of the greatest directors of all time.

The practical effects are a pleasant surprise. I would rather see an attempt at practically showing someone’s head getting bit off with an absurd amount of blood, than bad CGI. There is a charm to the low-budget effects in these types of movies; they embrace their campiness and wholly lean into it.

On the other hand, I am pretty impressed with the CGI used to make objects appear to float, giving the impression that the raptor was interacting with them. Various mediums were used to depict the raptor, including a shower curtain wrapped around its body. The filmmakers were incredibly resourceful and utilized what was available to pull this movie off, which is impressive.

My only complaint is that the movie’s runtime is one hour and 54 minutes, which is too long. The crude humor started to drag in the third act, but you may have a different opinion if you’re not tired of laughing, by that point. Even though it is long, I think this movie will be a lot of fun to watch in the theater.

I ate this movie up (no pun intended). The humor, music and overall vibe reminded me of some of my favorite horror comedies, including Cabin in the Woods, Hatchet and ThanksKilling. It’s a brilliant movie that cleverly incorporates a dinosaur without featuring an actual dinosaur. If you enjoy horror comedies like I do, check out this film. I recommend pairing it with Tammy and the T-Rex (1994), another absurdly entertaining horror comedy featuring a visible dinosaur.

This movie hits limited theater showings and digital availability on December 6th.