Screamers
(1996)
Phillip K. Dick was an odd, unusual and prolific Science
Fiction writer. He still remains relatively unknown
except to those hardcore devotees of the genre. Still,
his work has served as the source for a handful of motion
picture scripts including "Blade Runner, "Total Recall"
and this later plotless wonder, "Screamers." In these
cases, Dick's original titles have been abandoned for
their filmed counterparts. For "Screamers," his "Second
Variety" serves as the source material.
From the moment we hear the opening narration, accompanied
by a scrolling title screen, we know it will be pointless
to try and follow the film's plot. This is a long- winded
yet pointless dialogue about something called the N.E.B.,
I can't even begin to remember what it stands for, and
how some sort of unbelievable fuel has been found in
outer space on planets with names like Sirius and Berelium.
There is also mention of high doses of radiation and
some sort of war. Trying to absorb more than this from
the narration is futile and unnecessary.
The film's plot then opens on a desert like wasteland
outside of some sort of an outpost or bunker. When a
human appears on the sand dunes, others watch him from
the bunker as he is ripped to shreds by some sort of
mechanical device. The device makes a horrific and loud,
high pitched humming, buzzing noise as it saws into
the young man's limbs. Hence the title "Screamers."
The whole plot goes on and on but doesn't make much
since. It doesn't really matter though, the special
effects are really what's important to the film. Luckily,
they are quite fantastic. From the mechanical devices
that permeate the film to the wonderful matte art shots
that act as the barren wasteland backdrop to the action,
the film looks perfect. We get numerous tours through
deserted, war torn cities as well as a guide through
an underground tunnel system. Everything looks perfect.
The mechanical devices, the screamers, are also meticulously
constructed. For fans of these effects, the film yields
great rewards. It's just a shame that the writers, Miguel
Tejada-Flores and Dan O'Bannion, can't write dialogue
and exposition that one can easily understand and follow.
This might have been a pretty good film.
Peter Weller, who has never been the best of thespians,
quickly disintegrates into the nonexistent plot. Acting
like Lance Henkickson, he then seems to adopt the speech
pattern of Thomas Haden-Church. Apparently this is all
in an attempt to appear "hard-boiled." This technique
leads him to be quite ineffectual as a leading man.
Chances are he simply realized he was in a stinker and
gave up about 3 days into shooting. Worse yet, he is
juxtaposed against dumdum Andy Lauer of TV's "Caroline
in the City." Lauer simply reprises his television role
here. With lame asides which he and delightfully guffaws
at, Lauer acts more like a smirking "Beavis and Butthead"
clone than a rookie recruit who is supposedly a sharpshooter.
It's quite silly. Meanwhile, some brunette chick is
cast as the love interest and she is about as interesting
as a wet sponge. I didn't even bother to get her name.
She will play a large part in the film's finale but
by the time it arrives, we could care less. And even
though the film is rated "R," we don't get to see her
"ba-zooms" until they are melting in a special effect.
Ho hum.
"Screamers" is directed by Christian Duguay. He mans
the special effects qualities of the film quite nicely
but he shows no propensity to wrangle his actors. He
is even less careful in his actions to get the plot
and dialogue of the film to work with these special
effects. This film looks more like a advertisement for
an effects lab than a major motion picture. "Screamers"
is nothing more than typical Sci-Fi. Dick's works of
fiction deserve better treatment.
Note: Director of Photography is Rodney Gibbons. Music
by Normand Corbiel. Deak Ferrend is co-creator of the
mechanical screamers used on screen and also did much
of the matte art.
This is basically a Canadian production.
Later I got the chick's name - Jennifer Rubin.
Review written in 1996
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