Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: SATURDAY, October 22, 1994 TAG: 9411160079
SECTION: EXTRA PAGE: 12 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: MIKE MAYO CORRESPONDENT
DATELINE: LENGTH: Medium
British director Stewart Orme and writers Ted Elliott, Terry Rossio and Davis S. Goyer are fairly faithful to Heinlein's plot, but they missed the atmosphere of paranoia that he created. In that regard, the film doesn't measure up to the original "Invasion of the Body Snatchers" or, to take a more modern example, a really good episode of TV's "X Files."
The story begins with the arrival of a UFO - accomplished through a blink-and-you-miss-it special effect - in rural Iowa. Straight away, crack agents from the government's supersecret Office of Scientific Intelligence are sent into the field.
Dr. Mary Sefton (Julie Warner) is an "exo-biologist," a scientist who studies what aliens might be like, if there are any aliens. Sam Nivens (Eric Thal) and Jarvis (Richard Belzer) are general-purpose crack agents. Andrew Nivens (Donald Sutherland) is their donnish boss.
The aliens, we soon see, are parasitic critters reminiscent of the infamous "face hugger" from the original "Alien." To be accurate, these guys are really more prone to back slapping than face hugging, and they're not nearly as believable or revolting.
Of course, they are bent on world domination - why else would they be here? - and the rest of the plot is all too familiar, right down to the guns-blazing big finish and the obligatory final twist.
Overall, the acting is better than either the effects or the action. Though the bits of business involving the creatures have some skin-crawly moments, they're never as disturbing as the best parts of last year's remake of "Body Snatchers." They are probably about as good as the nonextravagant budget allowed.
Given the general level of cinematic science fiction these days, it's pointless to be too critical. S-f fans have seen worse. Heinlein fans deserve better.
Robert A. Heinlein's The Puppet Masters
**
A Hollywood Pictures release playing at the Salem Valley 8. 108 min. Rated R for graphic effects, brief nudity, violence, strong language.
by CNB