The Outpost

This film is a bit of a tough watch. It has a decent cast, alright cinematography and some worthy practical effects, but the screenplay just doesn't work, and the director probably had a hard time since the writer is the producer. I know this was initially written as The Hills Have Eyes Part III, I think that script would have been better. There's a lot of references from great films, for instance the antagonist feels like a human version of a xenomorph, which in a way works. There's a line I find funny - the brother says to his sister's boyfriend "You couldn't get a piece of ass if you were a toilet seat". Bro, he's bangin' your sister lol.

A scientific experiment designed to create a superhuman being has gone wrong.The creators become trapped in a remote desert outpost,pursued relentlessly and mercilessly by their own creation.James Stockton,the scientist whose research was used despite his protests to create the monster,is called the outpost to help undo the horror that now lurks somewhere within the dark halls.James,together with his son and daughter,soon find themselves trapped inside with the others,trying desperately to survive.And with the outpost sealed from within,there is no way out..."The Outpost"/"Mind Ripper" is highly unoriginal.The sets are pretty claustrophobic and there's a bit of gore.However as a horror it fails miserably on almost all levels.There's zero suspense,the script is weak and filled with big holes and the ending is extremely predictable.So-called master Wes Craven produced this one-I wonder if he is happy with this trash.Joe Gayton directs without any style.The acting is horrible,only Lance Henriksen can act at all.OK,I'm a big horror fan and was bitterly disappointed.Avoid it like the plague-it's just the same old boring crap again!

It's a trifle, of course, and it IS hard to know what attracted Wes Craven to such a degree that he lent it an "Executive Producer" credit, but it does have some interesting touches. The first is the compassion it shows for the "monster". In fact, although many have made the "Alien" connection (mainly because of the underground tunnels and shafts), it really plays more like a variation on the "Frankenstein" myth; there is a scientist who wants to "play God" and a sad creature that is forced to become murderous (and his killing method owes more than a little to Cronenberg's "Rabid", too). Another interesting idea is the way all the characters are initially presented as either bland or obnoxious (and boy are the two male teenagers obnoxious!), only for most of them to reveal some redeeming side later on. And the gore fans will get some moments they can appreciate in this one, particularly an eyeball-piercing in close-up! Lance Henriksen reportedly said that this is one of those films that "pay your alimony", but at least he handles it like a pro and doesn't show any contempt for his audience. The film's worst part is the ending, which gets so far-fetched it's almost funny. But all-in-all "Mind Ripper" is worth one viewing. (**)

Lance Henriksen is the name actor in this Wes Craven produced horror film. Set in an underground desert facility, it follows the events that happen after some government scientists inadvertently create a humanoid monster when they inject a virus into a dying man in order to save his life.

I have a bit of an immediate dislike of any sci-fi or horror films that fall under the category I can best describe as 'corridors underground (or in outer space)'. These low budget genre films feature characters running away from a deadly enemy in confined locations with lots of corridors. The reason so many of these types of movies are made is that the sets required can be cheaply knocked together. The issue, however, is that the vast majority of them turn out to be very tedious and highly unoriginal. Mind Ripper is another in this line of not very good movies. This one throws some highly uninteresting family melodrama into the mix and needless to say it doesn't add much value. The best moment for me was probably the part where the monster suddenly killed all the sympathetic characters in a frenzied attack; I was thinking at the time that this was quite interesting and a nicely unexpected turn of events. Turned out it was a dream sequence from the monster's perspective. Sigh.

Back in the day when I first saw this movie I remember loving it. I've watched it several more times over the years and still enjoy it probably because of the nostalgia.

Does it have good acting? Not really. Is the script amazing? No I can't say it is.

There's questionable choices by characters and plot holes a plenty but I still enjoy it.

Possibly it could be good for fans of low budget scifi horror. It has good camera work and makeup. Giovanni Ribissi stands out as the best acting and Lance Henrikson is in it so good for "Aliens" and "Pumkinhead" fans.