Dead Space (1991) - Warning: Do no eat Walter White

There are some sci-fi films like 'Star Wars, Aliens' and 'Terminator 2' - all created before (or in) 1991.  All of which are timeless and even look better than some movies and TV shows today.  So, if they could produce something so great, you'd think that other movies could at least try and get a little bit close to their look and feel.

It's effectively an 'Alien' rip-off, i.e. a giant monster running round a space base (instead of the Nostromo spaceship) and gradually killing off the cast one by one.  Only, instead of Sigourney Weaver running around with a cat and a flamethrower, you have Marc Singer ('V' and 'Beastmaster') wielding a puny pistol while protecting a crew of expendables dressed in true nineties wardrobe, plus an early role from Walter White himself, Bryan Cranston (who - believe it or not - manages to actually turn in a good performance with the dire script he's given).

Don't get me wrong.  I enjoyed 'Dead Space.' And, just to prove it, I'm going to basically list all (well, nearly all - there are probably quite a few I've forgotten) the things wrong with it.

It looks cheap.  The sets are all just darkened rooms that could be the drama hall in your local senior school, just with added smoke to hide the lack of details sets.

The monster looks good.  It's practical effects, but the problem is that the puppeteers don't seem to know how best to make it move.  Therefore when it's on screen and shown in all its glory, it's sort of anchored to a wall with only its limbs flailing, meaning characters have to actually run towards it and let it catch them, rather than be mercilessly pursued by it.

The script is basically what you'd expect from a first-time film-studies student would write.  There's nothing new and only the better actors - or should that be just ACTOR - Bryan Cranston - can make work.

The 'droid' is goofy.  Again, he mask actually looks okay, but when he stands up you can clearly see it's just a man in an - albeit decent - mask.

Much of the gore is ripped from 'Alien' with the obligatory 'chestbursting' scene.

So, with all this that's wrong with it, why did I like it?  Because it's dumb, cheesy and generally fun.  It's not really self-knowing, but it's just a relic of a bygone age and, if you're in the mood for - yet another - 'Alien' rip-off, then this one will kill an hour and a half (or if you just want to see what Bryan Cranston had to do to earn a living before he hit the big time in 'Breaking Bad' then this is amusing).

6/10 Should probably keep you awake if Freddy Krueger was haunting your nights