The Puppet Masters
The Puppet Masters

The Puppet Masters

1994Movie109 minEnglish

The Midwest USA is invaded by stingray-shaped alien slugs that ride on people's backs and control their minds in order to spread their dominion. Government agency reps Sam Givens, Andrew Nivens, and Mary Sefton must stop the aliens.

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Insights

IMDb5.2/10
Rotten Tomatoes33%
Metacritic44/100
Google Users54%
Director: Stuart OrmondroydGenres: Horror, Sci-Fi, Thriller

Plot Summary

A mysterious alien race begins taking over Earth by attaching parasitic slugs to unsuspecting human hosts. A small group, led by a retired general and a young investigator, must find a way to fight back against the invisible invasion before humanity is completely enslaved. As the alien control spreads, trust becomes a luxury, and the fight for survival becomes increasingly desperate.

Critical Reception

The Puppet Masters received largely negative reviews from critics, with many citing its unoriginal plot and lackluster execution. While some appreciated the suspenseful elements and the visual effects, most found it to be a disappointing adaptation of Robert A. Heinlein's novel.

What Reviewers Say

  • The film struggles to bring its intriguing premise to life, often resorting to predictable horror tropes.
  • While Donald Sutherland delivers a solid performance, the overall narrative feels underdeveloped and uninspired.
  • The special effects are adequate for their time, but do not elevate the film beyond its derivative storyline.

Google audience: Audience reviews indicate a mixed reception, with many finding the film to be a fairly standard sci-fi horror flick that doesn't quite live up to its potential. Some viewers enjoyed the alien invasion concept and the suspense, while others were disappointed by the pacing and the predictability of the plot.

Fun Fact

The film is based on the 1990 novel of the same name by Robert A. Heinlein, but significantly alters the plot and themes.

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My Review

TMDB Reviews

1 reviews
CinemaSerf

CinemaSerf

Donald Sutherland has done some dross in his time, but usually only as a guest star. Here he commits himself to the whole thing and I wonder if now, he regrets it. The mind-numbingly daft plot involves alien creatures that resemble flounder...