Organizm: A Review

I am reminded of a statement I once heard in regard to Edith Warton's House of Mirth. If I may paraphrase: I understand what's going on... but I don't care. Organizm affected me in the same way. I understand the premise, the plot, the motivation and the climax, but I simply do not care.

Richard Jefferies put at least some effort in writing the script, even if that effort was research into every other science fiction film ever made. It follows a predictable pattern, a kind of boy-meets-monster from his past. The pieces of the puzzle fit together. Many of them are implausible or inadequately explained, but they do add up if you suspend your disbelief. Of course the creature is connected with a man's tragic childhood memories, and he holds the key to its destruction. The military is a blind, deaf juggernaut headed in the wrong direction. A damaged woman is along for the ride, trying desperately to pave everyone's way. It's textbook.

Textbook plots can be amusing, but this one isn't. Why not? It takes itself too seriously. Drama, drama, drama. No nearly-topless women running through the woods. A combination of quality effects and lighting that tones down the hilarity. The one relatively sexy scene isn't that sexy. All the things that make a B-movie worth watching are painfully absent.

The acting is serious, and the actors actually have done this before. Erica Leerhsen is a convincing heroine: reliable with a hint of vulnerability. While Jonathon Schaech plays the hero and his father, he does a good job. His accents, makeup and mannerisms distinguish both men as separate characters. I was expecting a cheesy double-take, and I was disappointed.

Organizm looks like a real science fiction film. A tired, clichéd science fiction film. In my search for excellent B-class movies, I am not moved. My standards are higher... or lower... depending on your point of view. If you doubt my evaluation, I urge you to see the movie yourself. But please don't pay to rent or buy it. You will never get that money back.