Synopsis

Three misfit computer programmers are hired to create the ultimate game monster in four weeks. With them in the otherwise empty Clayton Software headquarters are a quiet intern (Clea Duvall) and the would-be executive who set up the deal. A power surge makes the mainframe go haywire and it starts using the telemetry suit to play the game in real life.

This is nowhere near as inspired as its companion film She-Creature. The whole monster-on-the-loose-in-a-bunker idea is a horse so d…ad it’s glue. And there simply aren’t enough fresh moments (though there are a few, notably the resolution) to give the film a needed spark. B-movie fans will rejoice, however, at the presence of Julie Strain in a small role as herself, and looking more and more like a grotesque caricature.

Audio

The music is given a good, strong mix. The sound effects are pretty good too, though their rear presence isn’t constant enough to create a full environment. Similarly, there are some nice moments of left-right separation, but there could be more. The sound is crisp and clear, however, and free of distortion.

Video

The picture comes in both 1.78:1 anamorphic widescreen and 1.33:1 fullscreen formats. The image is razor sharp, with excellent colours, flesh tones and contrasts. All in all a first class job. I’ve seen many bigger films that didn’t look half this good.

Special Features

Just as the film itself isn’t as good as She-Creature, the extras aren’t in the same league either. The featurette is three minutes long and is a bare-bones behind-the-scenes promo, telling us very little about what is going on. The photo gallery is divided into “Monster Sketches,” “Building the Monster,” “Behind-the-Scenes Photos” and “Production Stills.” There are filmographies for Clea Duvall, Tyler Mane, Julie Strain and Stan Winston, and trailers for the Creature Features series, It Came From Beneath the Sea, Wolf, Bram Stoker’s Dracula, Fright Night and The Breed. The menu is fully animated and scored.

Closing Thoughts

I like the idea behind this series. Not all the entries can be expected to be of the same calibre, though, and this is decidedly humdrum. It looks nice, though.

Special Features List

• Featurette
• Trailers
• Photo Galleries
• Filmographies