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C.H.U.D.

C.H.U.D.

They're not staying down there anymore!

198488 minRMidcredits score: 28th percentile of all films
Director
Douglas Cheek
Starring
John Heard, Daniel Stern, Christopher Curry, Kim Greist

A rash of bizarre murders in New York City seems to point to a group of grotesquely deformed vagrants living in the sewers. A courageous policeman, a photojournalist and his girlfriend, and a nutty bum, who seems to know a lot about the creatures, band together to try and determine what the creatures are and how to stop them.

Where to watch

Where can I watch C.H.U.D.?

As of October 24, 2026, MovieCove lists C.H.U.D. streaming on Pluto TV (free), Prime Video, Shout! TV via Prime Video and Tubi (free) and to rent or buy on Apple TV and Prime Video.

Your rating, lists and review

Highlights

What stands out about C.H.U.D.?

C.H.U.D. earns 4 badges, led by Box Office Hit and Breakout role.

  • Reception
  • Awards and box office
  • Cast

Reception

Is C.H.U.D. worth watching?

C.H.U.D.'s Midcredits score is the 28th percentile of all films, from 47K ratings across 6 sources. 31% liked it (rated it 7 or higher out of 10).

Midcredits score

How well it was received

28th percentile

Better received than 28% of films

71st percentile among Horror30th percentile among 1980s
Acclaim (how much people like it)34th
Approval (how many liked it)24th

57 /100

34th percentile of all films

79th percentile among Horror34th percentile among 1980s

Critics 57 · Audience 57

Critics and audiences broadly agree.

Rating distribution

A broad spread centered near 5.7 — solid but not unanimous.

31% liked it

24th percentile of all films

65th percentile among Horror26th percentile among 1980s
31% rated it 7–1069% rated it 1–6

Critics 44% · Audience 33%

On Rotten Tomatoes, a bigger share of critics approved than audiences.

Awards

0 Oscars won · 0 Oscar noms · 0 wins / 1 noms overall

89th percentile

47K ratings across platforms

89th percentile among Horror88th percentile among 1980s
TMDB popularity, last 37 days to Oct 26Down 17% in 30 days

Box office

Budget$1.3M
Opening weekend$1.8M
Domestic gross$4.7M
Worldwide gross$4.7M

Returned 3.7× its budget — 72nd percentile earner in its genre.

What reviewers say

Common ground

The premise of homeless people mutating into sewer-dwelling cannibals is great, but the execution is limited by its low budget and sparse creature appearances.

Fans praised

  • Tension builds through sparse monster reveals
  • Adult cast with developed characters
  • Effective gore and practical creature effects

Detractors panned

  • Underwritten script and clichéd dialogue
  • Cheap-looking monsters and fake gore
  • Slow pacing with too little monster action

What stands out

ActingDivisive75

John Heard, Daniel Stern, and Christopher Curry are solid despite the material

Atmosphere70

Grimy New York setting and effective dread when monsters appear

CharactersDivisive65

Well-developed heroes with some cliché-breaking, but some are tacked on

TensionDivisive60

Builds suspense with invisible monsters, but not consistently scary

Plot and storyDivisive55

Intriguing premise but underdeveloped and disjointed

Dialogue55

Some witty ad-libs and quotable lines, but often clichéd

Effects and spectacleDivisive50

Creature designs are cool but cheap-looking and underused

PacingDivisive40

Too much talk and not enough monster action until the end

Preferred by

Women vs men

Preferred by Men

Men scored it 10 points higher than women.

No notable difference between the other groups: each pair ranks it within 10 percentile points.

  • Critics vs users 3 points apart
  • US vs non-US 2 points apart

Watch experience

What is C.H.U.D. like to watch?

Conclusions only — categories and positions, no plot detail.

Scary: browse every movie of this kind

Watch this when you want to be scared.

It leaves you thinking.

ToneFeelDemandwhat the answer rests onexact position · filled zone: the category

What it asks of you

Nothing out of the ordinary.

What it feels like

Scary.

The answer rests on this: Moods
DreadTense
Heaviest: throughout
Register
Brooding: Heavy, inward, weather-beaten.Solemn: Grave and dignified; treats its subject with weight and respect.
Told as
Three-act: Setup, confrontation, resolution — the default Hollywood shape.
ToneThe film treats its monster-mayhem premise with a straight face, never winking, despite its low budget and cheesy effects.
The rideThe synopsis suggests a constant atmosphere of ominous threat and mounting anxiety.
StructureThe story follows a conventional chronology as multiple characters converge on the same threat beneath the city.

How it leaves you

what you carry away

Thinking.

Thought-provokingUnsettling
Why it leaves you this wayThe film lingers as a grimy, low-budget monster movie that also raises uncomfortable questions about environmental negligence and the treatment of the homeless.
How it ends · evidence
Bittersweet ending

Story archetype

where it sits among all films
Monster — 21% of films. A threat menaces the hero's world and must be defeated.Rags — 3% of films. A rise from lowliness to fortune, status, or recognition.Quest — 10% of films. A journey toward a defined objective, with companions and obstacles.Voyage — 4% of films. Into a strange world and back again, changed.Comedy — 11% of films. Confusion and cross-purposes resolved into harmony.Tragedy — 9% of films. A flaw or fixation drives the protagonist to ruin.Rebirth — 13% of films. A stalled or darkened life reopened and renewed.Mystery — 7% of films. A question drives the story — who did it, what happened, what is real — until it is answered.No archetype — 22% of filmsPredator — 6% of films. A creature or killer hunts the protagonists (Jaws, Alien).Tyrant — 6% of films. A human villain holds power over the hero's world (Die Hard).Invasion — 2% of films. An external force attacks the home or world (Independence Day).Oppressive state — 2% of films. A government, its agencies or a secret faction inside them is the monster (V for Vendetta).Corporate villainy — 1% of films. A company or its bosses are the monster (Erin Brockovich).Institutional injustice — 1% of films. A court, prison, police force, school or church is itself the enemy (Spotlight).Class system — under 1% of films. The gap between rich and poor, or a rigid hierarchy, is the monster (Parasite).Technology turns — under 1% of films. Technology people rely on becomes the threat (The Terminator).Inner demon — 1% of films. The monster is within — addiction, illness, a dark double.Underdog triumph — 2% of films. Rise through competition or contest (Rocky).Social ascent — under 1% of films. A climb in class or status (Pretty Woman).Fame and fortune — under 1% of films. An artistic or showbiz rise (A Star Is Born).Rise and fall — under 1% of films. Wealth or power gained, self lost (Scarface).Hidden worth revealed — under 1% of films. The protagonist's true value finally recognized.Treasure hunt — 1% of films. Retrieve an object of value (Raiders of the Lost Ark).Rescue — 4% of films. Retrieve or save a person (Saving Private Ryan).Mission — 5% of films. Accomplish or destroy a defined objective (Mission: Impossible).Journey home — under 1% of films. The goal is getting back (Finding Nemo).Pilgrimage — 1% of films. The journey itself transforms; the destination is symbolic.Portal fantasy — under 1% of films. Transported into another world (The Wizard of Oz).Fish out of water — 2% of films. Displaced into an unfamiliar social world (Elf).Survival ordeal — 1% of films. Trapped in a hostile environment, fighting back (Cast Away).Time displacement — under 1% of films. Unstuck in time (Back to the Future).Descent — 1% of films. A night-journey into an underworld or subculture (After Hours).Romantic comedy — 4% of films. Lovers kept apart by confusion, united at last.Comedy of errors — 3% of films. Mistaken identity or misunderstanding drives the plot.Farce — 2% of films. Escalating absurd chaos and coincidence (The Hangover).Buddy comedy — 1% of films. A mismatched pair forced together (Rush Hour).Comedy of manners — 1% of films. Social codes and class satirized (Clueless).Hubris — 1% of films. Pride or ambition invites the fall (There Will Be Blood).Obsession — 2% of films. A fixation consumes the protagonist (Black Swan).Corruption arc — 2% of films. Step-by-step moral decay (The Godfather).Doomed love — 2% of films. Love destroyed by circumstance (Brokeback Mountain).Crushed by fate — 3% of films. Destroyed by forces beyond the protagonist's control.Redemption — 3% of films. Moral reawakening of a hardened soul (A Christmas Carol).Healing — 5% of films. Recovery from grief or trauma (Good Will Hunting).Liberation — 2% of films. Breaking free of a confining life (Room).Second chance — 2% of films. A stagnant life re-opened to love or purpose (Groundhog Day).Puzzle — 1% of films. A clue-by-clue puzzle you can try to solve before the reveal (Knives Out, Clue).Investigation — 5% of films. A long pursuit of the truth that may never be fully solved (Zodiac, Memories of Murder).Enigma — 2% of films. The mystery is what is real, or what is actually happening (Mulholland Drive).Monster
Every story archetype, clockwise from the top
  • Monster 21% (this title): Predator 6% · Tyrant 6% · Invasion 2% · Oppressive state 2% · Corporate villainy 1% (this title) · Institutional injustice 1% · Class system under 1% · Technology turns under 1% · Inner demon 1%
  • Rags 3%: Underdog triumph 2% · Social ascent under 1% · Fame and fortune under 1% · Rise and fall under 1% · Hidden worth revealed under 1%
  • Quest 10%: Treasure hunt 1% · Rescue 4% · Mission 5% · Journey home under 1% · Pilgrimage 1%
  • Voyage 4%: Portal fantasy under 1% · Fish out of water 2% · Survival ordeal 1% · Time displacement under 1% · Descent 1%
  • Comedy 11%: Romantic comedy 4% · Comedy of errors 3% · Farce 2% · Buddy comedy 1% · Comedy of manners 1%
  • Tragedy 9%: Hubris 1% · Obsession 2% · Corruption arc 2% · Doomed love 2% · Crushed by fate 3%
  • Rebirth 13%: Redemption 3% · Healing 5% · Liberation 2% · Second chance 2%
  • Mystery 7%: Puzzle 1% · Investigation 5% · Enigma 2%
  • No archetype 22%

Overcoming the monster: A threat menaces the hero's world and must be defeated. · Corporate villainy: A company or its bosses are the monster (Erin Brockovich).

21% of films fit this archetype

with Quest underneath

A loose fit — the map only half-holds this one.

Why this archetypeThe protagonists must stop flesh-eating mutants created by toxic waste dumped beneath New York, while uncovering the corporate and government cover-up behind the disaster.

What it's about

7 groups · 53 themes
Bonds — 27% of filmsSelf — 22% of filmsPower — 7% of filmsMorality — 16% of filmsSurvival — 15% of filmsSociety — 9% of filmsIdeas — 5% of filmsRomantic love — 15% of filmsMarriage — 2% of filmsFamily bonds — 21% of filmsParenthood — 2% of filmsFriendship — 9% of filmsLoyalty — 4% of filmsIdentity — 14% of filmsComing of age — 5% of filmsAging — under 1% of filmsSelf-worth — 7% of filmsAmbition — 7% of filmsPurpose — 9% of filmsMemory — 3% of filmsObsession — 3% of films. A fixation consumes the protagonist (Black Swan).Power — 2% of filmsCorruption — 3% of filmsGreed — 3% of filmsClass — 3% of filmsOppression — 4% of filmsFreedom — 5% of filmsJustice — 13% of filmsDuty — 2% of filmsRevenge — 4% of filmsGuilt — 3% of filmsRedemption — 6% of films. Moral reawakening of a hardened soul (A Christmas Carol).Forgiveness — 1% of filmsSacrifice — 4% of filmsBetrayal — 5% of filmsDeception — 9% of filmsSurvival — 17% of filmsWar — 1% of filmsViolence — 4% of filmsMortality — 2% of filmsGrief — 6% of filmsTrauma — 7% of filmsMental illness — 1% of filmsAddiction — 1% of filmsIllness and disability — under 1% of filmsCommunity — 14% of films. Consequences reach a town, institution or group.Isolation — 5% of filmsPrejudice — 3% of filmsDisplacement — 1% of filmsFaith — 3% of filmsTradition vs change — 2% of filmsFame — 3% of filmsLegacy — 4% of filmsFate — 1% of filmsFree will — under 1% of filmsTruth — 4% of filmsHope — 5% of filmsNature — 2% of filmsArt — 4% of filmsTechnology — 1% of filmsSelfSurvival
Every theme, clockwise from the top
  • Bonds 27%: Romantic love 15% · Marriage 2% · Family bonds 21% · Parenthood 2% · Friendship 9% · Loyalty 4%
  • Self 22%: Identity 14% · Coming of age 5% · Aging under 1% · Self-worth 7% · Ambition 7% · Purpose 9% · Memory 3% · Obsession 3%
  • Power 7%: Power 2% · Corruption 3% · Greed 3% · Class 3% · Oppression 4% · Freedom 5%
  • Morality 16%: Justice 13% · Duty 2% · Revenge 4% · Guilt 3% · Redemption 6% · Forgiveness 1% · Sacrifice 4% · Betrayal 5% · Deception 9%
  • Survival 15% (this title): Survival 17% (this title) · War 1% · Violence 4% · Mortality 2% · Grief 6% · Trauma 7% · Mental illness 1% · Addiction 1% · Illness and disability under 1%
  • Society 9%: Community 14% (this title) · Isolation 5% · Prejudice 3% · Displacement 1% · Faith 3% · Tradition vs change 2% · Fame 3% · Legacy 4%
  • Ideas 5%: Fate 1% · Free will under 1% · Truth 4% · Hope 5% · Nature 2% · Art 4% · Technology 1%

Survival

SurvivalCommunity · 14% of films: Consequences reach a town, institution or group.
Warns its theme: Presents its theme as a danger or a coming cost.Community stakes: Consequences reach a town, institution or group.Dual lead
How it treats its themeThe film focuses on characters trying to stay alive and protect their community against a hidden, deadly threat.
StanceThe film warns about a hidden threat that endangers ordinary people, with consequences for the community.

The world

ContemporaryUrbanWildernessRealistic
Orchestral modernElectronicSupportive music · original score · David A. Hughes
Settingthe streets and sewers of 1980s New York City

Content guide

Is C.H.U.D. okay for kids?

R

C.H.U.D. is rated R. As of March 15, 2026, Midcredits content scores put its violence at intense (64/100), sexual content at mild (21/100), language at moderate (50/100), drug and alcohol content at mild (33/100) and frightening material at moderate (59/100). Its frightening material has too few votes to rank. Overall it is heavier than 19% of R-rated films.

Ratings in 4 other countries
  • UK18
  • Germany16
  • France12
  • MexicoC
Overall
Moderate · all five categories
Heavier than 47% of all filmsHeavier than 19% of R-rated films
Violence & Gore
Intense · audience split: No severity level holds a majority of voters
typical for an R-rated film
heavier than 41%
Sex & Nudity
Mild
light for an R-rated film
heavier than 14%
Profanity
Moderate
light for an R-rated film
heavier than 22%
Alcohol & Drugs
Mild
light for an R-rated film
heavier than 25%
Frightening / Intense
Moderate · audience split: No severity level holds a majority of voters
too few votes to rank (9 votes)

Point along a line to see a well-known title at that level.

The reason to think twice is violence. Everything else sits at or below what R-rated films usually carry.

Source: Midcredits content scores, 0 (none) to 100 (severe) per category, with each standing ranked against other films that have them.

What content warnings does C.H.U.D. have?

Not screened for content warnings yet.

Cast and crew

Who is in C.H.U.D.?

Cast

4 of the 10 billed cast had never appeared on screen.

John Heard
as George Cooper
Breakout: Their highest-reaching film role at the time, and they went on to a career at least 3 times their standing then.Top draw: One of the 3 biggest draws in this cast: billing here weighted by career star power.
Daniel Stern
as A.J. 'The Reverend' Shepherd
Top draw: One of the 3 biggest draws in this cast: billing here weighted by career star power.
Christopher Curry
as Captain Bosch
Newcomer: A standing when this film came out that sits in the bottom quarter of working actors today.
Kim Greist
as Lauren Daniels
Screen debut: No prior film or television role.Top draw: One of the 3 biggest draws in this cast: billing here weighted by career star power.
Laure Mattos
as Flora Bosch
Screen debut: No prior film or television role.
Brenda Currin
as Francine the Landlady
Newcomer: A standing when this film came out that sits in the bottom quarter of working actors today.
Justin Hall
as Justin
Screen debut: No prior film or television role.
Michael O'Hare
as Fuller
Screen debut: No prior film or television role.
Cordis Heard
as Officer Sanderson
Newcomer: A standing when this film came out that sits in the bottom quarter of working actors today.
Sam McMurray
as Officer Crespi
Newcomer: A standing when this film came out that sits in the bottom quarter of working actors today.

Crew

More like this

What are movies like C.H.U.D?

Movies like C.H.U.D include Mulberry St (2006), Contamination (1980) and Kingdom of the Spiders (1977). Of the 12 closest matches, several are stories about monsters, and most are creature features.

Balanced: every group counts the same, and production only breaks ties.

All 12 share its subject: survival. Those cards say what else they share.

Explore by

What else shares a premise, people or place with C.H.U.D.?

1.8K other films share the rarest tag below, follows: journalist. Each tag opens Browse with the films that share it.