I'm not going to say it's the greatest monster movie ever made. For what it is and considering this was made in the 1980s, I consider this a must-watch if you're into low budget science-fiction and horror fare. I first saw it as a teenager way back in the mid-eighties and I enjoyed it then. I'm not going to provide any spoilers here, but I did consider the double meaning of CHUD to be a nice, clever touch and I enjoyed the fact that the movie wasn't bogged down in a lot of exposition. This movie, believe it or not, is probably the closest you'll get to the onscreen adaptation of "The Reliquary" (the literary sequel to The Relic), although it predates both books. Come to think of it, CHUD likely also inspired the similarly-themed "The Descent." I didn't watch the awful followup "Bud the CHUD" and feel no need or desire to. CHUD can stand on its own merits as an 80s gem. This is one movie that I hope isn't marred by a bad remake with a lousy story and atrocious CGI. I'm not one of those hardliners who thinks CGI is all bad (there are great movies that have great CGI and practical effects). This movie is one of those which showcases what can be achieved with a low budget.
They don't make 'em like this anymore. I highly encourage anyone who loves 1980s-era science-fiction and horror to snag a copy of CHUD before it becomes scarce and outrageously priced. I'm glad I did.