Subject: REVIEW: SCREAMERS

From: [email-masked] (Don Mcclain)
Date: 5 Feb 1996 18:41:08 GMT

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
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