bert ▁gave ▁the ▁film ▁ 1 ▁ 1 / 2 ▁stars ▁out ▁of ▁ 4 ▁and ▁said ▁" Before ▁Mall r ats ▁was ▁released , ▁I ▁cha ired ▁a ▁panel ▁that ▁Smith ▁participated ▁in ▁and ▁Kevin ▁Smith ▁cheer fully ▁said ▁he ' d ▁be ▁happy ▁to ▁do ▁whatever ▁the ▁stud ios ▁wanted , ▁if ▁they ' d ▁pay ▁for ▁his ▁films . ▁At ▁the ▁time , ▁I ▁thought ▁he ▁was ▁j oking ." ▁Kevin ▁Smith ▁respond ed ▁by ▁apolog izing ▁for ▁Mall r ats ▁at ▁the ▁ 1 9 9 6 ▁Independent ▁Spirit ▁Awards , ▁though ▁he ▁later ▁stated ▁that ▁the ▁ap ology ▁was ▁made ▁in ▁jest . ▁Despite ▁all ▁that , ▁the ▁film ▁developed ▁a ▁cult ▁following ▁after ▁it ▁was ▁released ▁on ▁video . ▁ ▁The ▁review ▁aggreg ator ▁website ▁Rotten ▁Tomatoes ▁lists ▁a ▁ 5 5 % ▁positive ▁rating ▁for ▁Mall r ats ▁based ▁on ▁ 4 4 ▁reviews . ▁The ▁site ' s ▁critics ▁cons ensus ▁reads : ▁" M all r ats ▁color fully ▁exp ands ▁the ▁View ▁As ke wn iverse , ▁even ▁if ▁its ▁s no ot ch ie ▁has ▁lost ▁a ▁few ▁of ▁the ▁boot ch ies ▁bo asted ▁by ▁its ▁bel oved ▁prede cess or ." ▁ ▁Home ▁media ▁In ▁ 1 9 9 6 ▁M CA / Univers al ▁Home ▁Video ▁released ▁the ▁movie ▁on ▁V HS ▁and ▁Las erd isc ▁( the ▁latter ▁in ▁w ides creen ▁format ). ▁ ▁A ▁DVD ▁was ▁released ▁in ▁ 1 9 9 9 ▁including ▁ 1