Puppet Masters, The (1994)

reviewed by
Michael J. Legeros

                                 THE PUPPET MASTERS
                       A film review by Michael John Legeros
                        Copyright 1994 Michael John Legeros

Directed by     Stuart Orme
Written by      Ted Elliot, Terry Rossio, David S. Goyer, based on the
                novel by Robert A. Heinlein
Cast            Donald Sutherland, Eric Thal, Julie Warner, Keith David,
                Will Patton, Richard Belzer, and Yaphet Kotto
MPAA Rating     "R" (presumably for violence)
Running Time    108 Minutes

==

Bring the 1951 novel THE PUPPET MASTERS into present-day and there should be at least one major character in the course of the story who chimes in the line "oh, like one of those BODY SNATCHERS movies?" Unfortunately, not once in 108 minutes does anyone on-screen make a reference to either Don Siegel's 1956 classic or the two remakes that followed. And that's too bad, because no one in THE PUPPET MASTERS should be acting as seriously as they are.

Sure, the first forty minutes are ultra-creepy as Donald Sutherland leads his crack crew of scientists through the "infested" hamlet of Ambrose, Iowa. The veteran actor-- who also appeared in the '78 remake of BODY SNATCHERS-- is appropriately stone-faced while poking around a town "taken over" by alien parasites. And, as told from the scientist's POV for a change, these first few scenes have an edgy, matter-of-fact feel.

But as the story wears on and more and more people are "compromised," Sutherland's stone-face never lifts. Nor does the film's. Instead of fun we get fight scenes, and chase scenes, and one "runaway" helicopter. Ugh. All too much for the scope of this simple, spooky story.

BOTTOM LINE: Cut thirty minutes and you'd have something here.

Grade: C-

--
Michael J. Legeros
Raleigh, North Carolina

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Puppet Masters, The (1994)

reviewed byMichael J. Legeros

reviewed by
Michael J. Legeros