Screamers

This one I discovered by accident. The science fiction genre. If you do not like science fiction then avoid this because it can get a little gory at times and Roy’s appearance might not warrant you watching the movie. Kind of like Free Money. But that’s another story.

Basically it’s about a war on a planet over mining stuff. The one side nuked the planet so the other side built little machines that could shred the other side. Quite effective little things too. Screamers. Hence the title. Only they are out of control and getting smarter. Instead of little thingies they evolve and evolve into the beautiful persona of ….. almost gave it away there. He He.

Anyhow Peter Weller I believe the man’s name, the commander of the screamer side finds out they were duped and wants to end the war. He and a rookie person takes a walk to the other side during which they figure out the machines don’t look like machines anymore. They pick up a few stragglers at the other side’s head quarters where we meet Roy in the Becker persona. He speaks without an accent and for a moment I had to really think where I knew that face from. Then came hysterical jumping up and down followed by a smile that lasted three hours. But I digress.

On the way back to their own place they find that they are now apparently the only living beings on the planet. People die and sadly Roy does not make it. Okay granted he was the bad guy in the traditional sense but damn where can we get some mass production on that particular model. A machine that spouts Shakespeare.

It isn’t a bad movie. For the science fiction fans it will be a really tolerable movie and Roy was a good machine while he lasted. Not many people can take a missile to the face and still spout Shakespeare.

Trivia. Earth Final Conflict fans out there. In which other movie did the actress who played Da’an appear in with Roy. Okay here they didn’t share scenes but still. It’s a credit roll at least.

Liana

I can't believe the things I'm willing to do in the interest of gazing at Monsieur Dupuis, who happened to look divine btw OK, so I've come up with 2 reasons why he did this movie -

2 - He wanted to perfect the accent that he'd later teach Bruce Payne for his Jurgen character! Now come on - didn't anyone else thing he sounded *just* like him when Becker first came out to meet the guys from the Alliance?

Roy is in it quite a bit during the last half, however long that is. No love scenes though. If you really like sci-fi stuff, you may like it more than I did.

Glad I finally saw it though. And the knife scene was a definite eye-popper!

I actually liked the movie, but I like Sci-fi stuff...even the B movie type. And yes, the knife scene was pretty...ummm...moving

I loved Roy in Screamers. The voice, the hair, and the teardrop, just do me in every time I watch it....oh, and I can't forget the knife!!

1. Jennifer Rubin was smitten with Roy (no surprise there, huh?) and thought it would be great if Jessica and Becker got married and Screamer children. She suggested maybe they could do that in a sequel.

2. The weather during filming was absolutely freezing but the uniforms weren't very warm so the actors were given long underwear designed to withstand extreme temperatures.

Roy wanted to be a "tough guy" and wouldn't wear his underwear top so he was always freezing.

3. A lot of the "David"s were adolescent girl extras who didn't complain about filming in the below-freezing night temperatures because they just wanted to meet Roy. But then when Roy walked by with director Christian Duguay they decided Christian was much cuter!

Roy does attitude (nothing off-color intended with my adjective) great! Becker was a warrior, to be sure.

I thought the love storyline was a bit off. I just don't think those two clicked. (Perhaps Francoise has now explained to me why that was the case: Jennifer Rubin's crush on Roy. Sure can't blame the girl.)

I think you can rent Screamers at your local video store. Just ask for it under Peter Weller. I have it and it is worth seeing for any Royette for sure but if you aren't into Sci fi you might not see it again. Roy doesn't show up for about 30 minutes or so but from then on out you can't take your eyes off him.... unique performance as always.

In English (1995)

Hendrickssen: "Things ain't what they used to be."

"Screamers" actually has a pretty good pedigree. It's from a short story by Philip K. Dick, and it stars Peter Weller, a good actor who is probably best known for "Robocop." It's about a war between humans on the planet Sirius 6B over an extremely valuable energy source (shades of "Dune"), but the plot is just a sci-fi setting for a so-so horror plot. The screamers are sort of like land mines with artificial intelligence who, of course, go amuck.

Roy Dupuis plays a violent, Shakespeare-quoting psycho named Becker. He's billed second after Weller, but his screen time is way too brief. It's an interesting part, though, and he plays it well. And actually, he looks pretty cool here, too. He wears a futuristic grey uniform, his hair is wild, and he has tattooed teardrops under his left eye.

This movie isn't all that bad as sci-fi/horror movies go. It had an interesting plot, good acting, and good effects, but the story was just too unbelievable. It had potential, but it never took off.

At least it was better than "Hemoglobin."

Two stars,

Billie