Crash and Burn

My review was written in August 1990 after watching the movie on Paramount video cassette.

Latest fantasy film from Charles Band is a well-executed but uninspired futuristic tale. It's going direct to video, unlike its recent predecessors from the Full Moon label.

Pic's claustrophobic format resembles scripter J. S. Cardone's previous efort "Shadowzone" in trapping a group of characters at a remote spot with something preying on them.

Story is set in the year 2030, when a technocratic government has outlawed robots and private use of computers. A motley crew is stuck at Ralph Waite's local tv station during a lengthy "thermal" (storm). A synth (robot) is killing the cast.

TItle "Crash and Burn" refers to a type of computer virus use to override the synth's programming (derived fro Isaac Asimov's Laws of Robotics) not to kill humans. There's an okay twist explaining the clue as to the synth's identity, but once this baddie is identified, the film's suspense evaporates.

Band gets good ensemble performances, especially from Waite as the rebellious figure. Young Megan Ward, cast as Waite's daughter, heads the cast of beautiful women, with both Eva LaRue and Katherine Armstrong offering diversion.

I really enjoyed this film, it was one of the more interesting "B" type science fiction movies I've seen in some time.

As others have noted, the film is set in the future, when giant robots control the earth. Unfortunately Johnny Sucko isn't in this feature, but the other actors make up for this loss. I do wish they'd have added a plot line explaining what happened to Johnny and also why the giant robot can't do his mega-punch anymore.

Megan Ward (any relation to Sela?) does a fine job as Erin. I can see why she's embarked on a fine career, with just the right mixture of emotion and sexiness.

The plot is a bit plodding in places, like most B movies. And the special effects leave more than a bit to be desired. But the concept is quite imaginative and I must say I was impressed with the take on how our society would develop.

The real discovery is the male lead, Paul G. Anus. I'm surprised that he hasn't shown up in other major roles, as he seems to have a certain magnetism. Maybe with his unfortunate surname he's just destined to be in gay porno or something.

I would definitely rent this movie again.

At least it doesn't live up to its title, which is a good thing. Crash and burnnnnnn. On the other hand it might have been more exciting if it did. I don't know, but I remember liking this straight-to-video b-grade action / Sci-fi fare by Charles Band when I saw it for the first time many moons ago, but upon my recent re-watch I was left slightly under whelmed. Boy did it take awhile for something remotely riveting to occur. My excitement early on arose from catching a glimpse of a movie poster of "The Angry Red Planet" on the wall. Not once, but twice. Outside a pouting Megan Ward and Jack McGee (in a truly offensive mood), everyone else acts robotic. Is this to throw us off…? I don't think so. Bill Moseley is the life of the party… as what starts off as uncharacteristic (in a slumber mood) later on has you thinking now I'm watching Moseley perform. Paul Ganus is your typical handsome, but stoic lead who catches the eyes of the ladies (young and old). He doesn't do much at first, other than look serious. All in a good days work. Actually I guess sex was on mind. Nothing else. Nothing more. As after getting that out of the way (about mid-way through the movie), while lying in bed (for about 10 seconds) his character was thinking straight (well its either that or he's considerably slow off the blocks) and it came to him that something wasn't quite right (during a "heart-pounding" test set-up to find out if everyone trapped in this remote TV station was who they said they were). Now that he knows who the evil corporate Sythnoid robot in disguise is. Although we the audience (and Ward) have already figured that out long ago. It's time to be a hero. Jump out of bed, break the emergency glass and grab the shotgun. Then get pummelled and shot. Talk about an effective hero. However this is when things do liven up. Nasty jolts, stupid one-liners, robots going haywire and Ward making everyone around her look like dummies. "Hey, kiss this!". Director Charles Band does an economical job with J.S Cardone's material and recycles Richard Band's music talents. Visually is works cementing a futuristic wasteland, as the setting is taut and the paranoid unease is felt. In the dying stages you can see where most of the money went to and the effects of the battery powered tinbot put those recent CGI drenched transformers films to shame. Mildly amusing low-rent Full Moon fodder.

Ok, this is not a great movie. But it doesn't attempt to be. It's B movie city, and for that, it's not a half bad movie.

Full Moon productions continues to impress me, with the atmosphere and great b movie schlock they can create, with a shoestring budget.

STAR RATING:*****Unmissable****Very Good***Okay**You Could Go Out For A Meal Instead*Avoid At All Costs ...I don't know what other people (other IMDB reviewers,for example)might think of me,judging me by myself or by my reviews,but I've never thought I was that much of a demanding individual.I've always thought I was quite easy going and undemanding as a person.I try not to winge when things don't go my way,or if I have to do a job for other people.I know other people who've tossed stones at old people's houses,or taken drugs like draw and got pregnant at an early age.Yes,stones are readily available for those nasty,thoughtless people to throw at their own pleasure,yes,draw and sex are there to be consumed whenever the mood suits them.So,okay,I decide to take a risk..I decide to spend a fiver of my hard earned money on a video I had'nt previously seen,which on impulse,I would never usually do.I buy it from this really convienient store in the market,which is'nt perhaps majorly up to date,but still sells old or forgotten films,at cheap prices,which I think is really ace.Judging by the cover and the Sci-Fi genre attached to it,heck,even by the supposedly brilliant plotline on the back of it,I thought Crash And Burn would be a risk worth taking.

Then,after I've seen Coronation Street,I race upstairs to watch this baby.Hello,what's this?Not 2 seconds in,and already I've noticed this is'nt shot like a regular film.That's probably one of the biggest,in my many ,complaints about Crash And Burn:if every other film can manage to be shot like a proper film(even the realy,really bad ones)why the hell can't this one pull itself together and do the same thing?This is shot like a poloroid-cum-video recorder.That was my first step towards getting really angry and fed up with this film.In fact,it was the main thing that bugged me about it throughout.Not once did it appear to improve.I'm aware it has the (V)for video symbol by it,but what,is that a direct excuse for crappiness ?(does this serve as a direct example with the Billy Blanks dud 'Tough And Deadly?).

And,what from the back looked like it was going to serve like an original and exciting Sci-Fi venture went totally downhill from there.The special effects were diabolical,the acting was abysmal,the dialogue was atrocious , although the end line 'you really felt for her?Well,she'd only break your heart...then tear it out'had some credit to it.But that only led to a glaring implausibility error that the hero had had sex with the female robot and not noticed she was'nt a real person.And that only lead to the fact this was the only movie I knew that thought it was being clever by giving a human-looking-robot it's own name,a synthoid.Every other Sci-Fi movie calls them cyborgs.And that only led to the fact that the main 'synthoid' in question is a pathetic Terminator rip-off,that gets done in at the end by an impressive giant robot,which we only see for a brief glimpse then disappears,presumably to a better movie because this giant robot has much more talent than all the actors in this drivel.He was cool. , He quashes him in a standard better suited to the Wrigley's Spearmint gum adverts ,the only thing missing was the 'pluuurp'sound.

It really is very unfair.All I asked for was decent entertainment.Society,and hollywood,really should set better examples than this.*