SCREAMERS
A film review by Don McClain
Copyright 1996 Don McClain
for The Ganymede Times Newswire
Let's be upfront about this - this is one very depressing film. It is grim. It is violent. It offers little hope for humanity. It shows that, in the year 2078, mankind still possesses his greatest flaws of greed and the thirst for power. With that out front let it be said that this is also one well-made film. Not a great film, but, a well-made film.
The setting for SCREAMERS is the planet Sirius 6B in the aforementioned year 2078. Two forces are battling it out. As usual, it is the haves versus the havenots. One side, the haves, is the New Economic Bloc. The other side are those that the N.E.B. has abused to mine the precious energy ore on Sirius 6B. This side, the havenots, is the Alliance. Depending on who you want to believe, the war has been going on from ten to twenty years. And it appears everyone has finally tired of it.
In the beginning, a lone figure approaches the heavily fortified bunker of the Alliance. Before a few of the Alliance members have their way and shoot the intruder on sight, he is efficiently torn into shreds by the centerpiece of terror and horror for the film - Screamers. Screamers are small, metallic robot-like creations of the Alliance. Their ultimate weapon. The Screamers, with their razor-like appendages, can slice a human being into pieces in seconds tearing arms and legs from bodies. Their name - Screamers - is a nickname derived from the sound made as they strike. If one thinks of the terror fomented by the sound of the German Stuka dive-bombers of World War II, one gets the idea behind the effect. The Alliance creations are quick, effective and numerous. The only problem is that they have started thinking on their own and have altered the rules of engagement - all humans are now targets. Not just the unfortunate souls from N.E.B.
The unfortunate N.E.B. soldier we find out was carrying a message asking that immediate peace talks be held. The Alliance leader, Hendricksson, though suspicious decides to make his way to the N.E.B. headquarters to pursue these peace prospects. The problem is, of course, that to get there he has to traverse a wasteland literally crawling with Screamers. Talk about unenviable jobs.
Peter Weller is good as the Alliance leader. He has the appearance and attitude of a man tired of what can only be described as a sad existence. Roy Dupuis, as Weller's N.E.B. counterpart, matches well with Weller's Hendricksson. Jennifer Rubin provides the apparently mandatory nudity and sexual offering, but, she also pulls off a believable hardened black marketer.
The script, based on the Philip K. Dick short-story "Second Variety," by ALIEN scripter Dan O'Bannon and Miguel Tejada-Flores provides the necessary action and blood-letting. But it does not measure up to the apprehensive terror viewers experienced with ALIEN. It is doubtful that SCREAMERS will ever be listed at the same level as ALIEN. SCREAMERS is more of an action-war film with gallons of gore whereas ALIEN was a classic example of science-fiction and horror mixed superbly together.
SCREAMERS is visually striking. It is striking not that there are panoramic scenes that will make audiences go "ooh" and "aah," but, in that there is a true sense, feel and look of desolation. There are scenes of total devastation and industrial suicide. As stated earlier, this is one depressing film. Perhaps the filmmakers outdid themselves in their efforts to make the audience feel the hopelessness and depression felt by the protagonists in the film.
SCREAMERS is not the kind of film that will appeal to those who like their science-fiction subtle. Or to those who like to have their science- fiction paint mankind's future as good triumphing over evil and man coming to terms with himself ala STAR TREK. Basically, SCREAMERS' vision is simply "same stuff, different day." Man still manipulates, still abuses and still kills his own in the year 2078. And, in SCREAMERS, we discover that his inventions have begun to emulate their creator. A violent circle depicted in a violent film. And so very depressing.
Reviewer Rating : *** (Out of possible *****) MPAA Rating : R Running Time : 107 minutes Distributor : Sony Pictures Reviewed For The Ganymede Times Newswire http://members.aol.com/ganymedet/gt/gt.htm
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