Sentinel: Stealing Some Alien and Terminator Is Bound to Bite this Hack Sci-Fi Flick in the Ass

American Widescreen Pictures, Molteni Media Productions

MOVIE INFO:

In 2155, through a multi-dimensional portal, an alien invasion annihilates nearly the entire human race. Some of the people who manage to survive are miners hidden on the dark side of the moon. Years after the invasion, and with the use of new technology, three soldiers are sent back to Earth. Their plan is to connect with the human resistance and end the occupation of the aliens. Upon arrival, our three heroes soon find themselves face to face with the all-powerful guardian of the portal known as the Sentinel and its army. Despite being completely outnumbered, the soldiers are determined to accomplish their mission at any cost and reclaim Earth.

REVIEW:

Once every three years or so I come across a film so bad that I have nothing of value to say about it. Sentinel, a sci-fi flick that miserably steals from Alien and Terminator is this year’s Razzie 2024 nominee for me.

There is no competency to be seen anywhere.. The sets look cheap. Third graders could have made better moon shelter interiors. The miniatures used for the exteriors look like painted over cardboard. No budget for even a Lego prop? Couldn’t they borrowed some from their kids?

The acting is not even first table read quality. Did anyone know that there is such a thing as rehearsal? I think they hired actors off the streets, never game them a full script, just a one or two page scene, told them to scan it, and that they would go with the first take. Michael Pare, the only actor of note, smirks his way through his not to be trusted POTUS role. At least, he is the delivering dialogue beyond monotone. But then, the plot requires the characters to be asleep for a third of the movie.

Special effects are chintzy. Just standard lightning electrical effects, overexposed to keep the edges from being seen. Lots of fog, smoke and dark bathed in occasional red evil auras. The Sentinel creature is just another Alien ripoff with a paper mache head and body.