• Director: Christian Duguay
• Staring: Peter Weller
• Screenplay: Dan O’Bannon
• Released: 1995
• Genre: Horror / Sci-Fi
• Score: 80%
• IMDB Link: Screamers (1995)

Summary: A decent medium budget science fiction film with a few grusome bits that was let down by some poor special effects and a cliched ending.

Review: I have seen this film a few times now and while it isn’t going to win any awards it’s certainly good enough to while away 104 minutes. Set in a post war waste land on a planet called Sisius 6B a group of war weary soldiers from the Alliance try and make peace with the NEB (New Economic Block) only to run into a problem with one of their own creations.

The film itself is very well written as you would expect from the author of Blade Runner and Total Recall but is sorely let down by the 1970’s level special effects. Tension is built nicely by the screamers moving under the ground but as soon as they emerge it is obvious that they are models and have been blue screened into place. Numerous other special effects that were done on the cheap also really let the film down. The sets, though, are fantastic. One is, I believe, an old power station but some of the others could well be on another planet. They really add atmosphere to the film and complement the dialog that flows easily between the characters.

One recomendation I would make is that you end the film about 2 minutes early. The ending is terrible and so cliched it’s almost funny. What is it with film makers and leaving a sequel open. The teddy bear should never have been on the escape pod. It didn’t add anything to the film and just left me feeling like the story wasn’t properly finished. I hate it when the story doesn’t feel properly finished. Apparently the book has a different, better, ending although I haven’t read it.