Claw (2021) review: Dinosaur mayhem, laughs, and only one loss
Claw (2021) review by Kausalya Rachavelpula
Claw is a horror‑comedy that sets out to blend scares, laughs and prehistoric thrills in a way that feels both familiar and strangely fresh. Claw is released on JioHotstar and it is an interesting comedy. At its heart is a concept that many viewers have quietly wished for: a dinosaur horror film in which people don’t simply get picked off one by one. In that sense, Claw delivers a rare twist on the genre, though not without its flaws.
From the outset, Claw feels like an indie passion project, the kind of film that wears its influences proudly on its sleeve. The basic setup sees a small group of characters stranded in an eerie setting, pursued by a fearsome prehistoric creature that looks to have stepped out of a childhood monster movie. The creature is the star attraction, and the fun of the film comes largely from watching how the humans react to its unpredictable presence.
This is not a polished Hollywood blockbuster, and that’s part of its charm. That said, the dinosaur’s VFX are noticeably cheap, and the creature often looks unconvincing. Rather than adding genuine tension, the low-quality effects sometimes pull the audience out of the moment, making it hard to take the creature seriously. While it has enough presence to be entertaining at times, the limitations of the effects are impossible to ignore and are a clear weakness in an otherwise amusing setup.
The horror and comedy elements often work well together. There are genuine jump scares that surprise, and then just as often there are moments that make you grin at their sheer absurdity. In several scenes, the humour lightens what could otherwise be a relentlessly tense hunt, and this balance keeps the film engaging even when the plot itself is quite straightforward.
That said, Claw is far from perfect. One of the most talked-about aspects among viewers has been the death of a dog, a scene that hits unexpectedly hard, especially because the film otherwise avoids killing human characters in the way most horror films do. For some, that loss delivers more emotional weight than the makers probably planned, and it can catch you off guard in an otherwise tongue‑in‑cheek story.
As for the performances, the cast does a credible job with the material at hand. The dialogue can feel clunky at times, and a few lines land with more groans than laughs, but there is a certain earnestness to their interactions that keeps the audience rooting for them. A stronger script might have given them richer character development, yet the chemistry between the leads gives the film some heart to lean on.
One common criticism is that Claw feels short on genuine tension. The scares are there, but they are often undermined by predictability or by the knowledge that the story isn’t taking itself too seriously. Others might see this as part of the fun: the film doesn’t ask to be taken seriously, and for many viewers that’s part of its appeal.
Claw (2021) review: Ultimately, Claw is a film best enjoyed with lowered expectations and a willingness to embrace its campy energy. It’s not ground-breaking cinema, nor does it reinvent the horror genre. But it does offer a light‑hearted twist on creature features, a sense of self‑aware fun, and enough memorable moments to make it a quirky watch for fans of dinosaur-led horror-comedy. Whether it becomes a cult favourite or simply a one‑time watch depends largely on your appetite for cheesy thrills and off‑beat humour, but for what it is, Claw certainly delivers more than a typical low-budget creature flick.
