The Island of the Fishermen (1979) - I was expecting Peter Weller to turn up!

Alright, let’s not kid ourselves — 'Screamers; starts off slow. The kind of slow where you might check your watch and wonder if you accidentally tuned into an old TV sea adventure instead of a horror flick. It’s got that very ‘70s, old-fashioned vibe — you know, the kind where every line of dialogue feels like it’s setting up something you’ve already guessed five minutes ago.

Well, it's got all the B-movie greatest hits here: a mad scientist doing questionable ocean experiments, a greedy rich guy plundering nature’s treasures and a bunch of hapless folks who clearly haven’t seen a monster movie before (as it doesn't end well for the cast of extras!). It’s predictable as hell — but weirdly charming about it.

Then comes the second half, where things finally start to splash. The “monsters” show up — and, oh boy, they’re literally guys in giant fish suits.  At first, it’s impossible not to laugh… but give them a few minutes and, somehow, they start to grow on you. Like rubbery, bug-eyed goldfish who just want to be loved (and dump a load of priceless treasure at your feet - bless 'em!)..

It’s not scary, it’s not original and it’s not winning any awards for pacing — but if you’re in a forgiving mood and fancy some classic creature-feature cheese, 'Screamers' is a surprisingly fun little dive into schlocky waters.

6/10 — predictable, fishy, but good fun once it gets going