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Directed By:
Fred Olen Ray
Starring:
Ross Hagen, Jeffrey Combs, Dawn Wildsmith, Robert Quarry, Susan Stokey, Sybil Danning and Michelle Bauer
Rated R
Genre: Sci-Fi
Format Used: Blockbuster DVD
Contains: Graphic Language, Graphic Violence, Nudity
THE PLOT:
When a carnivorous humanoid underground dweller emerges from a cave at a popular picnic park and murders a man before being
killed himself leads a scientist and a group of College students to find out the source of the creature and if there any more
of them.
What they find is a world like nothing they ever imagined under their very feet. A Phantom Empire ruled by a marooned
alien woman who is as cruel as she is beautiful.
ZEDD'S OPINION:
I am a big fan of Fred Olen Ray and I regret to say that Phantom Empire is not his best work. I'm not sure if we wasn't feeling
well, didn't care for the project or if all the blame rest squarely on the shoulders of the writer but this movie is flawed
big time. There is serious character and story issues. The alien queen is a real bitch and all the actors seemed phoned in
their performances. The cave mutants are somewhat lame, considering it was 1986 I think they could have done better. I real
don't want to be insulting, but this was more Don Dohler then Fred Olen Ray but there was enough interesting points to keep
it from failing. So a mild and unimpressed 4 STARS.
VOLTRON'S OPINION:
I too admire Fred Olen Ray and most of the time he turns out a fairly decent movie. But not this time, and if that's Robby
The Robot, then I have Donald Trump's money stuffed in my mattress! Hold on, let me check. (Pause)(Time passes) Nope, no
money stuffed in my mattress, guess that wasn't Robby the robot. That bitch really got on my nerves, I mean she was one and
they were seven and she captured them. How lame was that. I'm sorry but I will have to give this THE NOOSE!
ON THE POSITIVE SIDE (+ HITS):
+ STORY (The story works for the most part.)
+ STOP MOTION (At least they used original stop motion, even if it wasn't perfect.)
+ CHARACTERS (My favorite character was Cave Bunny.)
ON THE NEGATIVE SIDE (- MISSES):
- ONE AGAINST SEVEN (And she captures them, one puts up a fight while the others stand around like pins.)
- CAVE MUTANTS (Somewhat lame.)
- ACTING (It seemed like they just phoned it in.)
...AND FINALLY...
- FRED OLEN RAY FANS (This is not his best work and if you are a fan like we are you will be disappointed.)
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