Polymorph . Weekly Alibi . 06-06-97

Polymorph

DIRECTED BY: J.R. Bookwalter

REVIEWED: 06-06-97

Indie filmmaker J.R. Bookwalter has been on a hell of a tear lately. His first film, The Dead Next Door, has always been one of my favorite zombie flicks, but after that one he kinda went through a series of misfires. With his drug/horror movie Ozone, however, he began to bounce back. 1995's The Sandman was another step in the right direction, but with Polymorph, J.R. kicks the same kind of ass he was beatin' on with Dead all those years ago. The simplest of plots (aliens dump weird green crap in woods, science interns stumble across the body of drug dealer infested with space crap, interns battle drug dealers, then team up with them to fight space crap) keeps things moving at a pace we haven't seen from Bookwalter before. James L. Edwards' screenplay is crammed full of funky dialogue ("I'm a special kind of pissed right now," and "This has all the believability of a Mentos commercial" being stand-outs), and the James-ster turns in a nifty performance as one of the interns (while wearing a God-awful blue-and-white shirt that just kept hackin' me off). Bookwalter's ability for action scenes has vastly improved, the stand-out being the stompalicious fistfight between Ariauna Albright (who has the movie's best acting chops) and Jennifer Huss. The flick's best moment, though, had me and Devin howling: One of the good guys is literally folded like a suitcase--then goes on to share a touching moment with another character! (E.I. Independent Cinema, P.O. Box 371, Glenwood, NJ 07418 EICINEMA@aol.com)

--Scott Phillips

Film Vault Suggested Links
Dracula vs. Frankenstein
The Brood
Alien Terminator

Rate this Film
If you don't want to vote on a film yet, and would like to know how others voted, leave the rating selection as "Vote Here" and then click the Cast Vote button.