Puppet Master 5

The final chapter… ah where have I heard this before? "Sorry your reservation has just been cancelled!" Well we know that's definitely not the case, as Full Moon's killer doll franchise is still kicking on. Chapter 5 pretty much follows on from the fourth film (as they were virtually shot back-to-back by director Jeff Burr with the same cast and crew) and I found it a little more enjoyable than previous instalment. After recapping what had already occurred, again the new puppet master Rick Myers must face up against the ancient Egyptian God Sutek who wants to destroy any sort of evidence about its reanimated ancient magic that Toulon had stolen and also cope with an interfering scientist played with devious glee by Ian Ogilvy.

The outlandish story layout is simply as before, repeating what happened in the fourth chapter (even with a storm brewing) but the pacing is a lot better and energy much more spruce with the Gothic seaside hotel having a little more of an impression. The thing was that the sequences involving Sutek just didn't seem to work (with its unconvincing voice reciting ridiculous dialogues and the dramatic body movements). It looked good it detail, but I preferred when it wasn't focusing on that demon. Director Jeff Burr ably constructs some atmospheric set-pieces, creating more a nightmarish tone like a very odd, but jarring dream sequence that was just as darkly unpleasant as any of the scenes from the original. Quite uneven in mood, due to its unbalanced material of humour and horror, but at times the goofiness does take away from it. Like some of the attack / death set-ups follow a formula; run, fall on ground, begin crawling and wrestle than die a bloody death. Not much else to it.

The illuminating special effects are just as potent as before with it colourful optical work and masterful puppet creations. The creativity shows in the puppet work forming their own characteristics, from the animation and the effective movements of the puppets. All the iconic puppets return, also with the new creation Decapitron that's inhabitant by the spirit Andre Toulon when resurrected by electricity. Modest acting by returning leads Gordon Currie and Chandra West. Teresa Hill returns in a lesser part and Guy Rolfe. Ian Ogilvy is great and Clu Gulager makes a cameo appearance. There's good support by Nicholas Guest, Willard E. Pugh and Duane Whitaker.

Certainly not the 'final chapter' and though sometimes subtitled 'the latest chapter' this is also true of Puppet Master 2, 3, 4 and the other sequels. Filmed concurrently with Chapter 4 (NOT back-to-back as often mis-claimed) this has the same director (Jeff Burr) and most of the main cast - though yummy Teresa Hill is in a coma and Gordon Currie beefcakes his way through police questioning and whatever with the help of sex interest (not love) Chandra West. English actor Ian Ogilvy joins the English (and frankly quite amazing) Guy Rolfe as Toulon. Ogilvy plays a villainous doctor wanting to steal the puppets secret but of course has to battle with the lovely puppets, their saviour Gordon Currie and the Egypyian God, Suketh and Mr Totem from the third film. Many of the extras in this one (including the thugs that Ogilvy hires to steal the puppets) are actual animators and special effects people so its fun to see them acting alongside that which they normally create. Toulon barely features again and its truly a pity that the team at Full Moon couldn't produce a stronger story and one where Toulon could truly feature (Guy Rolfe was deceased before any demanding sequel was made). Not sure why this seemed better than volume four but it is less dull and the English/Canadian cast make good viewing. Top scenes include menacing Six-Shooter fires the fingers from Totems' claws and a dream sequence (usually so tedious) where Teresa Hill (the psychic from number four who is in a coma now) is orgasmic in a blood filled bath tub as Pinhead holds her head as Tunneler drills her skull - it's a job to explain why this scene is so great but see it and you'll probably agree. Special mention for Jester because he rocks and in a way his head rolls!..!

Having escaped from the hotel, the new puppet master and the remaining dolls find their encounters with the demon cult aren't over as they launch another attempt at protecting their ancient secrets forcing them all into one last battle to finally defeat the beings.

This here wasn't all that bad of an effort in the series. As this one manages to follow-up on the story-line from the previous effort, in effect leading through the events of the last film to start this one off with as it deals with the ramifications of their actions dealing with the police, this one feels the most logically connected and cohesive entries here by finally giving some answers as to what's going on. There's a lot to like here about how that in itself corresponds to the different elements of the past movies with the connection found between the serum's mechanical frequencies and the gateway into the other dimension which finally solves the riddle of how they worked and why they were initially targeting the computer group from before. That also leaves the film with some enjoyable action scenes as the confrontations that arrive here come into play quite nicely against the story-line here with the majority of the film afterward dealing with the robbers' attempt to snatch them up inside the hotel and resorting to plenty of great encounters protecting themselves, leading to the demon puppet arriving along the way which generates not only their encounters with the puppets but also with the demon-puppet creature getting involved with the series of encounters in the hallways as it tracks down the group in some fun, chilling stalking scenes. Still, the majority of this time is used with the puppets in control leading to some suspenseful stalking scenes of them looking for the puppets throughout the darkened hallways of the house, the fun of the kitchen encounter with the robbers or the great sequence in the lab trying to resurrect the main doll to help them fight off the creatures, providing the big finale battle with the puppets and the demon puppet being that ends up resolving the entire story-line quite nicely. These here give this one enough to like to hold out over the few minor flaws here. The main problem here is the fact that there's quite a large amount of time here spent without bringing the demon- puppets as there's very little screen-time here that it almost makes the film forget they're even involved much in the film. There's a point where it could've easily brought them into play here as they're attacking the puppets for the main story-line and the entrance into the dimension happened quite early, so there's little excuse as for what there's little need for it to be as uninvolved as it is in that manner. That also highlights the fact that the main puppet doesn't have a whole lot of screen-time anyway as the entire film comes off like the last one where they spend the whole film trying to reanimate it when it was already alive, so it all builds up to that fight. It's a little repetitive, which is what holds this back somewhat from the previous effort.

Rated R: Graphic Violence and Graphic Language.

This installment is completely unnecessary, as it is very similar to Part 4. In fact, Puppet Master 4 & 5 were filmed simultaneously, and it shows. They were clearly running out of ideas. The film follows directly on Part 4 with the same actors. The story begins with Rick (Gordon Currie) - now accused of murder - telling what happened in the previous film, but from there it's pretty much deja vu. Torch is back, having only been in Part 2, as if they suddenly remembered about him. Rick acts as if he knows Torch, but he was not in Part 4, and only appeared for about 20 seconds in this installment. Why?

You can easily skip this film and you won't miss any part of the storyline.

First of all don't believe ALL of the harsh words that were said about this film. In my opinion it is definitely worth a try. Part six was MUCH worse. This one was creative and different as each movie in the series. I know what I am talking about; I've been a huge fan since I was a kid, I've seen all of the movies, and I even own a Blade replica. Maybe the reason why I liked this movie so much is because when I first saw it I was very young (yet at the same time an obsessed fan) and found the plot perfect for me: all of our favorite little puppets, including a very cool new one who only appears in parts four and five, are this time completely good and fighting pure evil and equally small enemies. It was neat seeing the puppets really work together, it was neat seeing them interact and communicate with humans in a friendly way for a change, and it was also neat that there was sequel that I could actually watch with my family. (keeping in mind that I was young and that the other films were much more "hard core", not that I didn't love the carnage candy myself) The point is we know that while these puppets are good they have done a million ultra-violent,perverse,maniacal, and destructive things, which makes a perfect stand off between our little anti-heros and the absolutely evil demons. And a lot of fans seem to forget that the puppets did not turn good, but in fact were always good. If you've seen part 3 you would know that they were nice people in life, and if you are a steady viewer in the puppets adventures you should notice the fact that the puppets up untill know have killed for only two reasons: survival or because their master(s) forced them to. So give the flick a try, I know that some of you will not like it but it is one of my favorites in the ever-expanding Puppet Master universe.