Mr. Stitch

I rented this TV movie cause it had Rutger Hauer in it. I never imagined I was renting something soooo bad. The amount of flaws this movie has wouldn't fit on a grocery list. I felt sorry for Hauer, seeing him so fat and old, starring on a movie that was so bad. I think he ran away from making this movie, after seeing how bad it was turning out to be(we can only see Hauer on the first minutes of film, afterwards, he simply disappear). I know this film has had its amount of bad critics, but it is just that bad. A 0.5 out of 10.

I enjoyed this one, it was a take off of the Frankenstien theme, but this time, an androginous being is assembled, and educated by a caring mentor. It was well filmed, without the violence associated with the genre. The creature asks for two books to read, the bible, and Frankenstien. The effects were modest but effective, the story was intelligent, a decidedly off the beaten track tale, that rewards the viewer who comes to it with diminished expectations. If you like Science fiction, give this one a try.

All the science in this science fiction tale is of the ludicrously pseudo sort, but it is stylish, well-acted entertainment. Will Wheaton, Rutger Hauer and Ron Perlman all give the excellent performances that one expects of them. Performances by the rest of the cast are more variable -- with some very good and some a bit over the top hammy. In terms of plot, the first half of the movie is quite original and makes the best of its obviously limited budget. Some parts of the second half are more trite and predictable but still stylishly done and ornamented by Will Wheaton's excellent performance. The special effects are minimal, the production design is a striking exercise in minimalism, and the musical score is quite good without being obtrusive. It is no SF classic, but it is both entertaining and thought provoking.

This film is an interesting little experiment: lots of bright white light framing images that linger for the camera, the Frankenstein story updated as an anti-war morality tale. Rutger Hauer chews the scenery a bit as the update of Dr. Frankenstein, and the generic evil general is all cartoon; still, Wil Wheaton as Lazarus, the creation, and Nia Peeples as his sympathetic caretaker/tutor, are worth watching. (Taylor Negron also makes an appearance as a slimy cohort who gets his just reward--his specialty.) Not a big budget affair, but not a complete waste of time, either, if you like quirky sci-fi fantasy.

I kept it on for as long as I could, but after awhile this movie really began to bother me, so finally I turned it off. NOT one of Rutger Hauer's best films, or probably anybody involved best films by a long shot.

It's not like I was expecting a great movie. I admit, it was only the presence of Rutger Hauer and my knowlege of some bad blood on the set that made me want to watch this in the first place. The story, which is somewhat like Frankenstein, is about a young man (Wil Wheaton) who is patched together from various cadevers by an odd reclusive type (Hauer). The young man is horrifying in appearance, but brilliant in knowlege. The old man also possesses a great amount of knowledge, so he knows enough to keep his creation secluded into an odd building where everything is white. I think the white somehow represented a sign of religion, which was pointlessly made to look all bad, and like science was the key. That, along with the fact that Hauer "suddenly having to go away" (and never coming back) quite quickly played major factors in my turning it. I don't care for Wil Wheaton nearly enough to watch him by himself, and what was he supposed to DO for the rest of the movie without Hauer? I did not feel like finding out.

Note: Hauer "suddenly had to go away" because director Roger Avery asked him to leave the set...permanently. It seems that he and much of the cast were at odds with the rest of the crew. (maybe he didn't like the ridiculous view the film took on religion). Editing problems were also supposed to be a problem for this film. Those could be two reasons as to why it turned out so...oddly.