You're Going to "Love It!" or "Hate It!"

nammage

Three astronauts, coming back to Earth from wherever, can't seem to get an answer from Mission/Ground Control. In re-entry, the ship 'Nautilus' starts to become damaged and then there's only two astronauts left. When they arrive the world they knew no longer exists and the world they are now trying to survive in is in a nuclear fallout with men gone mad and mutated (not zombies), people trying to survive a cult-like leader (played by the late Sid Haig), and a bevy of other things.

I loved it from the opening credits. Never seen it before. Never heard of it before and it reminded me of those campy 50s and early 60s science fiction films that are difficult to find; not that those were necessarily good and not that this is necessarily good except in that particular vein.

Now, I'm a technical rater so I had to rate it primarily on that however, if there's enough of everything else (story, emotion, character development, etc.,) then of course it gets added on top of the technical rating. Is there much of a story? I think there is. I outlined the main plotline above but there's more to it if not directly in one's face. Emotion? A little. I mean, it seems to be more of a drama than a strictly horror/thriller film or what not. Though the third act kind of forgets the emotional aspect and becomes more 'action' than anything but there had to be an end and that's what was chosen, I guess.

Does it ripoff other films/novels of the time or before? Yes. It isn't new now and it wasn't new then. Sometimes one is inspired though this has hints of just rippoffs such as with "The Road Warrior", "The Planet of the Apes" and "The Day the Earth Stood Still". Still...I enjoyed it. I mean, one could say those who made the "Fallout" video games ripped off this film. It goes both ways, you know?

The writing is subpar and preachy (non-religiously) at times, the acting is paint-by-numbers (probably because of the writing and direction), the direction is basically getting the job done; one can tell he never directed anything before. There are quite a few humorous scenes throughout but of course they were made to be dramatic or intense but they come off humorous. Slipping on a bullet casing, picking up a gun, escaping from bad guys etc., even about an hour in the love scene was bit corny and humorous and it lasted a few seconds.

As I state in the title: you're either going to love it or hate it. I will say this, though: I loved how they added a laser gun in the last 30 minutes. No laser guns anywhere else in the film but in taking Cutter's camp: laser gun! I also loved how the astronaut never missed a shot one against 50 but one on one, well, he's a pretty bad shot.

score 6/10

nammage 22 November 2020

Reprint: https://www.imdb.com/review/rw6296748/