Puppet Master X: Axis Rising

Puppet Master X Axis Rising is the latest addition to Full Moon's Puppet Master (PM) franchise. If you like the indie horror series about magically animated puppets with a penchant for bloodshed, you won't be disappointed.

Frankly, I don't understand one-star reviews for a movie like this. Axis Rising has a built-in "bad movie" factor, but it's fun-bad in my view. The Nazis play up nefariousness for all its worth, and Brad Potts is hilarious as Sergeant Rock knockoff Sergeant Stone. Paul Arnold cuts a George C. Scott-like figure in his brief appearance as General Porter. And Stephanie Sanditz, who plays Nazi villainess Uschi, gives a deliriously sexual, power-hungry performance with a presence as eye-popping as any hentai girl the demographic for this type of movie could imagine. What else could the straight-to-video horror junkie want?

It might have run longer (a common flaw with Full Moon films), but writer Shane Bitterling does a nice job balancing the storyline with his obligation to showcase a slew of creepy puppets. Kenneth Branagh acting? Peter Jackson effects? Polanski atmosphere? Come on!

Not to beat the dead horse of believability, but anyone who saw the last PM knows this WWII is not set in our universe (in writer August White's version the U.S. jumps into the fray in 1939). Relax, it's okay if some of the accents and period slang miss the mark. Enjoy the movie for what it's supposed to offer: grue, cleavage, and puppets.

Blade, Jester, Tunneler, Pinhead, Six Shooter, and Leech Woman are back! Okay, maybe that doesn't really warrant an exclamation mark, but this is the tentpole franchise of Full Moon Features, now reaching ten films in all (eleven if you count "Puppet Master vs. Demonic Toys"). Writer/director/producer Charles Band is also back, but I was kind of disappointed by this sequel. Our WWII era heroes from the previous films, Danny and Beth, are back as well, though played by new actors, and find a post-WWII Nazi plot to create an army of their own evil puppets to do their bidding, using a Re-Animatior like green serum extracted from our puppet protagonists. Not that any of the films in this franchise are exactly brilliant, but this one felt too jokey. I did like it when the franchise introduced the Nazi storyline and had our homicidal puppet heroes fighting the Axis Powers, but this entry was just silly and also continued the unfortunate recent trend of Full Moon Features including casual racism, seen in this film with in addition of an evil Japanese puppet named Kamikaze. However, I do still enjoy watching little things fighting big things (i.e. "Attack of the Puppet People" "Dollman" "Child's Play" etc.) when it's not CGI, so even though this entry wasn't all that good, it did still entertain.

Puppet Master: Axis Rising (2012), available on Amazon Prime, continues the Axis trilogy in the Puppet Master series. This tenth installment follows the Germans as they create their own puppets to aid their plans for world domination, while a young couple tries to unlock another puppet that might help even the odds. The Germans believe their new kamikaze puppet has the power to defeat the original puppets.

Directed by Charles Band (Trancers), the film stars Jean Louise O'Sullivan (Trophy Heads), Scott King (Yellow Bird), Stephanie Sanditz (Kate & Leopold), and Paul Thomas Arnold (Once Upon a Time at Christmas).

I enjoyed this movie, especially the addition of new puppets, like the werewolf. The storyline is fun and a nice continuation from Axis of Evil. I strongly recommend this for fans of the Puppet Master series and would give it a 5.5/10.

Puppet Master movies are serious -Nobody ever.

If you are expecting this to be gritty or suspenseful, this is not your movie. Since the second one (and there are MANY Puppet Master movies) they just are not meant to be taken seriously.

They are campy, over-sexualized and goofy. And that is exactly why you watch them. Nazis with bad accents? Check. Gratuitous boobage? Check. Puppets that kill? Check check check.

This movie is what it is, a good movie to laugh at with your friends. It's made by the same folks who made Demon Toys and who have their own Roadhouse line. That should tell you what type of movie you're in for. It's worth the rental.

Nazis attempt to create a new army by reanimating corpses, when their plan goes awry they go about using Toulon's Puppet's secret to assist them.

Picking up where Axis of Evil left off producer Charles Band's cult creations return. Mr Puppet Master - Band himself directs this instalment and it shows, Axis Rising feels grander than the last, more film-like with better looking locations and production values, plus there's some noteworthy digital and make up effects. The infamous puppets look more like their original designs especially everyone's favourites Blade, Jester and Pinhead. The outrageous new puppets this time around are more welcome and its a kick to see some 'classic' puppets return.

What Stephanie Sanditz's German accent lacks in consistency she makes up for in screen presence and looks as Uschi, with Sanditz clearly having fun with the dialogue. Oto Brezina as Doctor Freuhoffer is perfect as well as some of the older supporting cast. The leads have been recast with Kip Canyon now playing Danny and Jean Louise O'Sullivan as Beth - while not the calibre of their predecessors they're certainly better than some of the hammy performances on display and solid enough given what has been spawned from essentially a 1989 cult film.

Good B movies are certainly not dead, while suffering from the usual budget restraints as many of its predecessors, to Band's credit Axis Rising flows, looks good, is faster paced and is also slicker than part 9.

What has been consistent throughout the franchise is the great music and Part 10, yes X, is no exception, Robert Douglas and the originals scorer Richard Band delivers a fantastic richer main theme and an excellent amount of stings and cues even if the sound design mix is a little misplaced at times.

Shane Bitterling's writing injects this Puppet Master with a theatrical and campier tone, nevertheless this coupled with Bands on hand touch makes Rising sexier, bloodier and more fun this time around. While lacking the creepy factor of the first and second it's still an event to be had - puppets, Nazis, zombies, experiments, boobs and blood what more do you want?