The second to last review of the set: the third Body Snatchers movie, titled just that:
This new version follows the fates of a group of people on an Army base who discover that something is taking possession of the minds, bodies of the people they once knew and loved.
Well, how did they do?
Normally I don’t look ahead on these to movies I’ve already seen that come later, but I have seen the fourth movie, titled simply The Invasion, and this 1994 remake is my least favorite. Skipping ahead a bit, I’d put them in almost chronological order:
1. 1956
2. 1978
3. 2007
4. 1994
5. Seedpeople, the Full Moon knock-off. Because I can’t poke enough fun at that movie.
This movie focused on the teenage kid too much in my opinion, and it had Emily Valentine from 90210 on it. Literally the character from 90210, in my opinion. She dressed, acted, and looked the same. Much like the 1970s version of the movie suffered a bit from its time, this movie suffers a lot from being made in the early nineties. The acting is still pretty decent from the adult characters, but the teenage drama and whole girl trying to discover herself bit was a total and complete waste of screen time.
It’s not really a bad movie by any means, but it feels a lot like a made for TV movie from the 90s. I’m not mad that I saw it, but I wouldn’t watch it again. It’s that sort of movie. It’s the most B-movie of the series, too.
The effects are pretty good, and they did something new with how the plants get you. I liked that. I also liked seeing a familiar face from Oz. Actually several people in this movie are familiar faces including a really under-used R. Lee. Ermey, an underused Forrest Whitaker, an underused plant monster people. They kept the running screaming pod person bit, which I liked.
Usually I don’t point this out except in the report card, but: the nudity in this was disturbing on several levels. One of the topless pod people is supposed to be a copy of an underage girl, and the other naked pod person is fully nude in front of her young but too old for that son. It felt creepier than anything else in the movie and really stood out because of this. Technically, I suppose none of the nudity was supposed to be human, but still. Yikes.
It’s worth seeing if you are a completionist, but not just as an average horror movie fan. Next week I’ll be back with another entry from the series I liked the most.
Report Card:
Running Time: An hour twenty-seven.
Acting: Decent.
Effects: Decent, not great.
Violence: A bit.
Gun Use: None that stood out as obviously wrong or stupid.
Gore: How do you feel about gooey plant gore?
Creepy? Kind of but not as creepy as the first two.
Monster Type? Seedpeople.
Funny? A few times, but never intentionally.
Nudity: Full frontal female nudity and several male butts.
Pacing: Smooth but…
