The Puppet Masters

CinemaSerf 4/24/2022 10:47:59AM 8.4

Donald Sutherland has done some dross in his time, but usually only as a guest star. Here he commits himself to the whole thing and I wonder if now, he regrets it. The mind-numbingly daft plot involves alien creatures that resemble flounders with a proboscis, that ride around on the backs of people, whilst controlling what passes for their minds. "Nivens" (DS) is determined to capture one of these beasties and get it back to the lab for examination. It has all the production values of a solid television movie and hasn't an original bone in it's body. It is a sort of "Alien" meets "Doctor Who" themed enterprise that recycles the rather flawed plot far too often, with little sense of jeopardy and the most obvious solution to the extra-terrestrial invasion plan - just don't wear a shirt with an opaque back! It ends pretty much as expected, with a mediocre supporting cast and some unremarkable dialogue to support the flying jelly special effects. Nothing special, this film.