In the soft afterglow of The Terminator, we have a story that might be a bit of a pseudo prequel to how those dang robots gets the better of us. Part Mad Max, part Western, part Terminator. Sorry, can’t help mentioning that one twice, it’s borrowed from a bit here. But not completely. It does have some original storytellins to keep it kinda interesting.
This is like how Tatooine went bad. So much robot raystisms. And for good measure! Somehow future kinda-apocalypse-but-not-because-girlfriend-is-an-artist Dylan McDermott gets involved, and some very sweaty people in the hyperglow of their monitors. And red filters. It’s a little unsettling. Plot beyond a killer robot? Voluntary population control. And Grl Pwr! Hmmm. Totally not an Alien kinda female empowerment film. At all.
This is the feature film debut of Richard Stanley, he did more short films and music videos and documentaries. Understandably, a bit low budget here so it is a little rough around the edges. Fkn robots. And creepy neighbors. Unfortunately I think this is the first stages of some psy-ops on us Publics with the three S’s. When it comes to procreation, it’s considered Stupid, Sadistic and Suicidal. That’s...kinda fucked up messaging. Seems to have worked, though. Overall, pretty cool visually, some style that bumps it up a bit.
