The Puppet Masters

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The Puppet Masters

R

1994

1h 48m

Sci-Fi

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Tomatometer

Popcornmeter

29%

Tomatometer

24 Reviews

33%

Popcornmeter

5,000+ Ratings

An alien spacecraft sets down in rural Iowa, and top-secret government agents Andrew Nivens (Donald Sutherland) and his son, Sam (Eric Thal), are sent to investigate. Coming along is NASA biologist Mary Sefton (Julie Warner), and together they make a startling discovery: alien parasites capable of taking over the minds of human beings. And the creatures are multiplying. The race is on for the team to stop the invaders before they turn all of humanity into zombie slaves.

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Owen Gleiberman

Entertainment Weekly

Rated: C+

Sep 7, 2011

Full Review

Variety

Only the most undiscriminating monster-pic buff will come away satisfied.

Dec 6, 2009

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Derek Adams

Time Out

There's no suspense (ETs rampage from the word go); no frissons (loud hailers telegraph the shocks); and it's insufficiently bright to be an hommage.

Feb 9, 2006

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Nick Rogers

Midwest Film Journal

While it’s far from Heinlein’s original flight of frightening fancy and its ending feels utterly bogus, "The Puppet Masters" remains a psychologically sound and physiologically gross dissection of the anatomy of occupation and the pathology of control.

Rated: 3.5/5

Oct 21, 2024

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Eddie Harrison

film-authority.com

...offers more paranoid fun that this film's reputation suggests...

Rated: 3/5

Nov 21, 2021

Full Review

TV Guide

Despite accomplished special effects and a coolly intelligent script, this paranoid thriller never follows through on its eerie promise.

Rated: 2.5/4

Dec 6, 2009

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Carlos I

I keep giving this movie a chance, thinking surely this has to be up my alley... And sure enough the story and cast are indeed my cup of tea, but the execution is soo dull and limp that it's hard to recommend. It's a shame, because it had soo much potential.

Rated 2 out of 5 stars

09/13/24

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David W

Not bad at all. Much better than its given credit for. It's no classic but it's a very serviceable slice of paranoid sci-fi that has a nice 1950's b-movie feel to it. Unsurprising considering it's obvious inspirations..

Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars

06/02/23

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kevin f

Not a bad job of adapting a classic

Rated 3 out of 5 stars

03/31/23

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Joel C

After some kids discover an unknown force land in an Iowa woods the whole town becomes victims to parasitic, manta ray, looking creatures that latch on to the host's backs and enter their brain with a barbed tentacle. Based on a novel written in the 50's that I haven't read, I don't think the film does it justice. I can't exactly pin point what doesn't work in the film - the cinematography, special effects, and majority of the acting is decent, but the film really lacks any interest from the viewer. This could be the script, or the director, or producers, or all the above, either way it just doesn't achieve any sort of satisfaction or feel threatening, and I'm kinda interested to find out why.

Rated 2 out of 5 stars

03/21/21

Full Review

Audience Member

I love this movie! One of Richard Belzer's finest performances.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

01/19/23

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Audience Member

Terrifying when a child, not so much as an adult.

Rated 1 out of 5 stars

02/02/23

Full Review

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Stuart Orme

Director

Donald Sutherland

Andrew Nivens

Eric Thal

Sam Nivens

Julie Warner

Mary Sefton

Will Patton

Dr. Graves

Richard Belzer

Jarvis

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Synopsis

An alien spacecraft sets down in rural Iowa, and top-secret government agents Andrew Nivens (Donald Sutherland) and his son, Sam (Eric Thal), are sent to investigate. Coming along is NASA biologist Mary Sefton (Julie Warner), and together they make a startling discovery: alien parasites capable of taking over the minds of human beings. And the creatures are multiplying. The race is on for the team to stop the invaders before they turn all of humanity into zombie slaves.

Director: Stuart Orme
Producer: Ralph Winter
Production Co: Hollywood Pictures
Rating: R
Genre: Sci-Fi
Original Language: English
Release Date (Streaming): Jan 1, 2014
Box Office (Gross USA): $8.6M
Runtime: 1h 48m
Sound Mix: Surround, Stereo

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