Rating: 
Summary: the test of time
Review: The proof of the pudding is how it tastes the next day. This movie sneaks up on you--I recorded it in VHS, thought it was ok, next bought the video, and liked it better, and the DVD was great! Worth it just for the production quality (including blow-mind sound). The intro credits and title get shown to anyone who wants to see home theatre in action.
Rating: 
Summary: Good but not great
Review: 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. However, this is no ALIEN. But for what it is, it isn't bad. The setting for SCREAMERS is the planet Sirius 6B in the 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. As it starts, 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 film works best at the 'atmosphere' level -- in that there is a true sense, feel and look of desolation. There are scenes of total devastation and industrial suicide. A very dark film. Though the budget for the movie was VERY tight, the filmmakers did a good job in making the viewer feel the hopelessness and depression felt by the protagonists in the film. The DVD: Columbia TriStar Home Video has made SCREAMERS available on DVD in both wide screen and full screen presentations. The full screen presentation looks fine for those who must, but the wide screen presentation is so much better and it features the anamorphic enhancement. SCREAMERS is framed at 1.85:1 and has balanced looking compositions. Spanish and French language soundtracks have also been included, in addition to an English Dolby Surround track. English, French and Spanish subtitles are provided on the DVD. The interactive menus have a simple interface and offer access to a theatrical trailer, plus the standard scene and language selection features.
Rating:
Summary: VISUAL STUNNER
Review: THE STORY: Based on Philip Dick's short story, SCREAMERS plot becomes very convoluted at times, and I found myself wondering just what the heck was going on; however, as the movie progressed, it's storyline became more cohesive, and I found myself understanding it. Score: 3
THE CAST: Peter Weller is both likeable and dislikeable at the same time; he doesnt' seem to possess a wide range of emotions, and his laconic behavior tends to weaken his performance; Jennifer Rubin does okay, but doesn't seem to possess a lot of energy; Roy DuPuis and Andrew Lauer are excellent---DuPuis with his hypnotic blue eyes is quite sinister as Becker, and Lauer with his gungho militarism is brilliant as the grunt. Score: 3
THE EFFECTS AND SETTING: Marvelous; some of the nicest vistas and landscapes captured in some time; effects are above average, I think. Score: 5
Rating:
Summary: VISUAL STUNNER
Review: THE STORY: Based on Philip Dick's short story, SCREAMERS plot becomes very convoluted at times, and I found myself wondering just what the heck was going on; however, as the movie progressed, it's storyline became more cohesive, and I found myself understanding it. Score: 3
THE CAST: Peter Weller is both likeable and dislikeable at the same time; he doesnt' seem to possess a wide range of emotions, and his laconic behavior tends to weaken his performance; Jennifer Rubin does okay, but doesn't seem to possess a lot of energy; Roy DuPuis and Andrew Lauer are excellent---DuPuis with his hypnotic blue eyes is quite sinister as Becker, and Lauer with his gungho militarism is brilliant as the grunt. Score: 3
THE EFFECTS AND SETTING: Marvelous; some of the nicest vistas and landscapes captured in some time; effects are above average, I think. Score: 5
Rating:
Summary: Okay, but it could have been better.
Review: The thing that got me about this movie is that it made me think a little about how far we can go. It kind of reminded me of this other sci-fi movie that had an "alien" come and get caught by scientists to research. It turns out that this "alien" was a human from the future of Earth come to warn the people to stop destroying it. At the end of Screamers I thought "Wait. If that teddy bear is a screamer, too, and that guy is going back to Earth, won't all the people on Earth get killed?" That was the best part. The ending--it would have been a better movie if it started on Earth after the ship got back and then eventually the story was told, but since it wasn't that way I have to say that the movie was pretty good for what it was.
Rating:
Summary: A dark hard edged movie that is slightly better than average
Review: The year is 2078 on the mining colony Planet Sirius 6B. A war between the New Economic Bloc and the Alliance over the mining of a toxic, but highly efficient energy source has left the once beautiful planet in nuclear ruins. Now the survivors on Sirius 6B are faced with a new threat beyond imagination.... Peter Weller (Robocop) stars as the leader of the Alliance. After 10 years of war, the N.E.B. (New Economic Bloc) leader is offering a peace treaty. He and a raw recruit go on a mission to talk with the N.E.B. leader. During their mission, they have to contend with an Alliance weapon called a Screamer. A Screamer is a mechanized sword that kills any mobile lifeform. The movie is dark and violent. As it progress, Peter Weller discovers that the Screamer has become self-aware. This part of the movie is well developed and brings a element of terror into the film. The movie also creates a sense of hopelessness. Yet it is subpar in delivery and content. The script is weak in parts that brings down the film. It is a movie that could have been. END
Rating:
Summary: Hell, Fire Skies!
Review: This film isn't terribly bad but then again it isn't a new can of worms. The good thing about it is that it keeps the genre alive by creating new possibilities in sci-fi. Weiler is a sick and tired soldier (he looks more like an inept weakling) and there are creatures that are used in warfare called 'screamers' that are creating all sorts of hell on some far away planet that is engaged in constant battles. The atmosphere is a good one, the result of constant bombings, the planet is covered in hubris and ruins. But then again, where are all the troops? You can tell that they couldn't afford them so they make it a "survival tale". The ending is a ludicrous "this isn't the end" type of foreshadowing, but in all, watch it if you aren't forced to.
Rating: 
Summary: So very very bad
Review: This is perhaps the worst movie of all time. Granted, I haven't seen every movie ever made, but it's just hard to imagine anything topping this monstrosity. See it if you must, but don't say I didn't warn you.
Rating:
Summary: Get real...
Review: This movie could have been so much better - it seems to me like they had a good script-writer write the first half of the movie, then brought in the B team to finish it off. And you can tell where. The characters (read: caricatures) in the movie see a nuclear explosion from just over a hillside (~100ft away), are blown back by the blast, and yet wake up the next morning. Give me a break! While the special effects are neat, the story needs a whole lot of work. IMHO, this is one to avoid...
Rating: 
Summary: Very good movie
Review: This movie had a great plot with some excellent acting. I liked the outworldish but not alien related part. Don't get me wrong, I think that alien movies are the best but this one had more than just one climax, so it would seem. For the price its good and this is before tax. If you want to buy it, buy it here and save a cuple of bucks. Overall I give this movie a 9.2
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