Four recent sci-fi mediocrities
Annie Van Auken | Planet Earth | 11/18/2009
(2 out of 5 stars)
"ECHO BRIDGE's SCI-FI COLLECTOR'S 4-FILM SET gathers together some less-than-inspiring fantasies on two DVDs. Note that EB (aka "Platinum Disc") movies superimpose a faint logo every so often. Their transfers are decent but not perfect. Despite low viewer ratings, this 4-fer still may be worthwhile to diehard sci-fiers, but only if you can catch a good deal on it.
SYNOPSES--
BLACK HOLE - Calcutta tourist destination this ain't! When a space critter passes through a man-made astral phenomenon, it threatens the destruction of St. Louis by first devouring the electric grid. The Pentagon gets in on the fun with a slated nuclear launch against the abandoned city.
LAST SENTINEL - A tired premise: technology attacks its creator, only-fair special FX and a weak cast make for slow going. Throw in a cybercized cop and beauty queen out to save the world and this bad film gets pretty dismal.
FINAL DAYS - Archaeologists discover underground bug-aliens that plan to conquer Earth by eating us all. (Pass the mayo and Flit, please...)
SUPERNOVA - Lightbulbs and heat lamps don't last forever, and 'Sol' is no exception. Here, an astrophysicist believes he can stop the sun from popping like a corn kernel and destroying our solar system in the process. (Pass the hot buttered, please...)
Also from ECHO BRIDGE:
The FANTASY/ADVENTURE 4 MOVIE COLLECTOR'S SET (released 9/08) contains these made-for TVers: "Blackbeard" (2006), "The Curse of King Tut's Tomb" (2006), "Merlin's Apprentice" (USA/Canada-2006), and "The Poseidon Adventure" (2005).
Parenthetical numbers preceding titles are 1 to 10 imdb viewer poll ratings.
(3.3) The Black Hole (TV-2006) - Kristy Swanson/Judd Nelson/David Selby/Heather Dawn
(4.6) Final Days of Planet Earth (TV-USA/Canada-2006) - Daryl Hannah/Campbell Scott/Gil Bellows
(3.6) The Last Sentinel (2007) - Don 'The Dragon' Wilson/Katee Sackhoff/Bokeem Woodbine/Keith David
(3.7) Supernova (TV-2005) - Luke Perry/Tia Carrere/Peter Fonda/Emma Samms"