This adaptation of Dean Koontz’s page-turning source novel is a perfect example of how sometimes, a movie that seems to have all the right ingredients can still manage to miss the mark: Despite a terrific storyline, a likable cast, and first-rate special effects (at least for its time period), this monster movie lands with a thud and a whimper. There’s virtually no suspense at any point and the characters aren’t particularly well developed, while some of the elements from Koontz’s novel work well on paper but not on the screen. It’s not an all-out disaster but it’s perilously close.
Rating: ★★ (out of 5)
