Rating: 
Summary: Get this giant leech off my back.
Review: Pretty decent sci-fi yarn about some squishy invading aliens that ain't a bad way to waste ninety minutes. Peppered with decent production values and a pretty cool little story, THE PUPPET MASTERS DVD makes a for a excellent addition for any fan of halfway decent humans vs. aliens suday afternoon fare and it is a cheap disc to boot. Recommended.
Rating:
Summary: Get this giant leech off my back.
Review: Pretty decent sci-fi yarn about some squishy invading aliens that ain't a bad way to waste ninety minutes. Peppered with decent production values and a pretty cool little story, THE PUPPET MASTERS DVD makes a for a excellent addition for any fan of halfway decent humans vs. aliens suday afternoon fare and it is a cheap disc to boot. Recommended.
Rating: 
Summary: INTERESTING RETELLING OF CLASSIC STORY
Review: Sci fi fans will know that PUPPET MASTERS, based on Robert Heinlein's book, has surfaced twice before in the two INVASION OF THE BODY SNATCHER movies. Ironically, Donald Sutherland, who starred in the 80s remake, is in this one, as well. PUPPET MASTERS is different from the BODY SNATCHER in that the ultimate darkness of those two is defeated by an upbeat, man beats the alien ending. This movie also gives us some really frightening looking creatures and some breathtaking action sequences. Sutherland is his usual sturdy self; Eric Thal is quite good as his son; and Julie Warner is very good as the woman scientist. The movie has menace, and while it is not as atmospheric as the SNATCHER movies, it comes across more action oriented, and there's nothing wrong with that, when it is handled this well.
Rating:
Summary: INTERESTING RETELLING OF CLASSIC STORY
Review: Sci fi fans will know that PUPPET MASTERS, based on Robert Heinlein's book, has surfaced twice before in the two INVASION OF THE BODY SNATCHER movies. Ironically, Donald Sutherland, who starred in the 80s remake, is in this one, as well. PUPPET MASTERS is different from the BODY SNATCHER in that the ultimate darkness of those two is defeated by an upbeat, man beats the alien ending. This movie also gives us some really frightening looking creatures and some breathtaking action sequences. Sutherland is his usual sturdy self; Eric Thal is quite good as his son; and Julie Warner is very good as the woman scientist. The movie has menace, and while it is not as atmospheric as the SNATCHER movies, it comes across more action oriented, and there's nothing wrong with that, when it is handled this well.
Rating:
Summary: Good Sci-Fi Flick
Review: The effort was sub par. The actors did a good job, and the special effects were good. But the transmutation from book to screenplay left something to be desired. Much of the suspense that the book evoked was lost in the process. The project would have benefited from a more accomplished director. It is a good rental for one time view and for Heinlein fans, but that is about it.
Rating: 
Summary: Dull As Dishwater
Review: THE PUPPET MASTERS actually does start out intriguingly enough; two Midwestern boys, playing in the farm fields of Iowa, witness a spaceship landing in the distance. Naturally, they run to check it out. What happens next is strange and not easily explainable--at first. After the opening titles, we are introduced to the main characters, a field of government agents headed by Donald Sutherland (who has mastered the art of subtle earnestness in his career), and populated by Eric Thal (remember him as the young Hasidic scholar who becomes involved with Melanie Griffith in A STRANGER AMONG US?) and Julie Warner (who exudes both passion and intelligence in this role). After some portentious signs, there are two or three truly exciting action sequences, one right after another. The problem is, after all of this, I looked at my watch and found that there was still over an hour of movie to go. That's when the film becomes, as my title says, dull as dishwater. In the last hour, which seems more like two, this film endlessly repeats itself, in scene after scene. Plans of attack are presented to us, and then played out of us in the same exact way, so that there is no suspense. After three or four such consecutive scenes, there begins to be no interest, either. Then, there are the agonizingly long scenes involving Eric Thal and Julie Warner alone together, played out slowly and without soundtrack as if suddenly turning into Steven Soderburgh's sex, lies and videotape (truly a great film; however, that same style does NOT fit into this "thriller" well at all). What we end up with is a very ungainly, uneven film that alternates between high-charged action/sci-fi scenes and those containing long stretches of dull-as-dishwater dialogue. By the end, I was very happy--that it was over, as I nearly fell asleep ten times in the last half-hour alone! Now I know why this film received largely negative reviews when it was initially released in theaters in late-1994. It's too bad, as it is from the classic novel by Robert A. Heinlein; unread by me, the basic concept is fascinating and reminds me of INVASION OF THE BODY SNATCHERS (both 1962 and 1978)--except both of these classic sci-fi/horror films are more exciting than this one. Come to think of it, Donald Sutherland was in the latter BODY SNATCHERS film, and did much better in that much better film. Thank God I spent less than the Amazon price for THE PUPPET MASTERS DVD! RECOMMENDED FOR DONALD SUTHERLAND FANS AND/OR DIE-HARD SCI-FI FANS ONLY; ALL OTHERS AVOID
Rating:
Summary: Dull As Dishwater
Review: THE PUPPET MASTERS actually does start out intriguingly enough; two Midwestern boys, playing in the farm fields of Iowa, witness a spaceship landing in the distance. Naturally, they run to check it out. What happens next is strange and not easily explainable--at first. After the opening titles, we are introduced to the main characters, a field of government agents headed by Donald Sutherland (who has mastered the art of subtle earnestness in his career), and populated by Eric Thal (remember him as the young Hasidic scholar who becomes involved with Melanie Griffith in A STRANGER AMONG US?) and Julie Warner (who exudes both passion and intelligence in this role). After some portentious signs, there are two or three truly exciting action sequences, one right after another. The problem is, after all of this, I looked at my watch and found that there was still over an hour of movie to go. That's when the film becomes, as my title says, dull as dishwater. In the last hour, which seems more like two, this film endlessly repeats itself, in scene after scene. Plans of attack are presented to us, and then played out of us in the same exact way, so that there is no suspense. After three or four such consecutive scenes, there begins to be no interest, either. Then, there are the agonizingly long scenes involving Eric Thal and Julie Warner alone together, played out slowly and without soundtrack as if suddenly turning into Steven Soderburgh's sex, lies and videotape (truly a great film; however, that same style does NOT fit into this "thriller" well at all). What we end up with is a very ungainly, uneven film that alternates between high-charged action/sci-fi scenes and those containing long stretches of dull-as-dishwater dialogue. By the end, I was very happy--that it was over, as I nearly fell asleep ten times in the last half-hour alone! Now I know why this film received largely negative reviews when it was initially released in theaters in late-1994. It's too bad, as it is from the classic novel by Robert A. Heinlein; unread by me, the basic concept is fascinating and reminds me of INVASION OF THE BODY SNATCHERS (both 1962 and 1978)--except both of these classic sci-fi/horror films are more exciting than this one. Come to think of it, Donald Sutherland was in the latter BODY SNATCHERS film, and did much better in that much better film. Thank God I spent less than the Amazon price for THE PUPPET MASTERS DVD! RECOMMENDED FOR DONALD SUTHERLAND FANS AND/OR DIE-HARD SCI-FI FANS ONLY; ALL OTHERS AVOID
Rating:
Summary: Within its genre, this film is really top notch!
Review: The Puppet Masters is one of those films that most people will pass over, thinking it is similar to those murderous "puppet" movies made by one of those straight to video companies. I'll admit that I watched this film not because I was aching to see it but because it had an interesting sounding premise for a sci-fi film - one that seemed very familiar. I'm not a huge sci-fi buff, but I'll give them their due when warranted. I do like Donald Sutherland. He has truly been a venerable screen actor. In this film, Sutherland plays a government operative charged with discovering the truth about an possible UFO landing in Iowa. Joining him is his secret service-like son, played very well by Eric Thal. Rounding out their investigative group is a NASA scientist played by Julie Warner. Thal and Warner are both very attractive and athletic looking. Thal has the looks of a fashion model and the body of a tri-athlete. When he peels off his shirt you can see every sinuey muscle in his chest and abdomen. This is not a guy that I would want to have to go up against. And that fact plays out as he and the team are forced to face a formidable foe in the aliens who have landed. The Puppet Masters is supposedly the source material for the Invasion of the Body Snatchers films. Written by Robert Heinlien, the book (I've not read it) is supposedly very similar to this movie, but not to the Body Snatcher movies. The aliens in this film don't envelope the humans as in the early films and then replicate them. They are parasitic and take over their human host's minds. This movie has many exciting moments and will have you on the edge of your seat quite often. I found it refreshingly simplistic in its approach - lacking the early films' attempt to maintain Heinlien's supposed inferences to the McCarthyism of the 1950's. Instead, I saw a pure sci-fi film that really was believable but for one key point. Richard Belzer becomes infected with an alien and then has it removed. He goes through severe withdrawals when the creature is removed and ends up committing suicide. Subsequent removals of aliens from victims do not result in withdrawals Belzer experienced and certainly do not result in suicides. In fact, the freed victims seem to have a strong resolve to them. You might write this off to a stronger resolve than Belzer's character, except that he is a government agent who should have such a strong resolve. That one point aside, the movie does maintain as much continuity as can be shown and maintains its "believability." No - it's not great - but within its genre, this film aint too bad.
Rating:
Summary: Within its genre, this film is really top notch!
Review: The Puppet Masters is one of those films that most people will pass over, thinking it is similar to those murderous "puppet" movies made by one of those straight to video companies. I'll admit that I watched this film not because I was aching to see it but because it had an interesting sounding premise for a sci-fi film - one that seemed very familiar. I'm not a huge sci-fi buff, but I'll give them their due when warranted. I do like Donald Sutherland. He has truly been a venerable screen actor. In this film, Sutherland plays a government operative charged with discovering the truth about an possible UFO landing in Iowa. Joining him is his secret service-like son, played very well by Eric Thal. Rounding out their investigative group is a NASA scientist played by Julie Warner. Thal and Warner are both very attractive and athletic looking. Thal has the looks of a fashion model and the body of a tri-athlete. When he peels off his shirt you can see every sinuey muscle in his chest and abdomen. This is not a guy that I would want to have to go up against. And that fact plays out as he and the team are forced to face a formidable foe in the aliens who have landed. The Puppet Masters is supposedly the source material for the Invasion of the Body Snatchers films. Written by Robert Heinlien, the book (I've not read it) is supposedly very similar to this movie, but not to the Body Snatcher movies. The aliens in this film don't envelope the humans as in the early films and then replicate them. They are parasitic and take over their human host's minds. This movie has many exciting moments and will have you on the edge of your seat quite often. I found it refreshingly simplistic in its approach - lacking the early films' attempt to maintain Heinlien's supposed inferences to the McCarthyism of the 1950's. Instead, I saw a pure sci-fi film that really was believable but for one key point. Richard Belzer becomes infected with an alien and then has it removed. He goes through severe withdrawals when the creature is removed and ends up committing suicide. Subsequent removals of aliens from victims do not result in withdrawals Belzer experienced and certainly do not result in suicides. In fact, the freed victims seem to have a strong resolve to them. You might write this off to a stronger resolve than Belzer's character, except that he is a government agent who should have such a strong resolve. That one point aside, the movie does maintain as much continuity as can be shown and maintains its "believability." No - it's not great - but within its genre, this film aint too bad.
Rating: 
Summary: Donald Owed Someone A Favor
Review: This "B" movie doesn't deserve the cult following most "B" movies command. Donald Sutherland must have owed the producers or directors a favor and was thus coerced into doing this movie. Fortunately, movies this bad don't ruin the careers of high-caliber actors like Donald. Only Road Runner cartoons are more predictable. Watch only for humor.
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