31 Days of Halloween: Moontrap (1989) or attack of the cyborgs

It’s Day 6 of 1428 Elm’s 31 Days of Halloween, and today we’re looking at the Bruce Campbell sci-fi/horror flick from Robert Dyke, the 1989 Moontrap.

It doesn’t get any better than Moontrap. This low budget, late 80’s sci-fi/horror flick starring Ensign Chekov from Star Trek (Walter Koenig) and Ash Williams (Bruce Campbell) is a nerdgasm of a film. Combining the best of both worlds, this is definitely a funky and fun space romp.

“We don’t take no shit from the machine!” – Ray Tanner

Houston, We Definitely Have a Problem

Moontrap- 14000 Corpse – Courtesy of Magic Films, Shapiro-Glickenhaus Entertainment

Jason Grant (Walter Koenig) and Ray Tanner (Bruce Campbell) are on a routine Shuttle mission. Bored and a little restless, the pair want to go home. To amuse themselves, they pass the time by joking about their fighter pilot names.

Apparently, Grant was known as “Einstein” and Tanner was “The Penetrator.” Thinking back to Top Gun, Goose, Maverick and Ice Man pale in comparison to “The Penetrator.” In the midst of this fascinating conversation, they pick up a strange signal.

It isn’t too long before they find out what is causing it. A giant, abandoned ship floating adrift in space. Right away when I saw this, I thought let’s just ignore it. Nothing good will come of it. Haven’t we learned anything from Alien?

Of course, Grant is keen on wanting to see the ship up close. So, he straps on a jet pack for a fly by. Upon further inspection, there appears to be some sort of hieroglyphics on the hull of the ship. Grant also spies a strange object that looks surprisingly enough like a gigantic football.

Instead of leaving it right where it is, he decides that he should take it back to the Shuttle. Now, this is when all the bells and whistles went off for me but Grant proceeds anyway.

Ground Control to Colonel Grant

Moontrap – Kaalium – Courtesy of Magic Films, Shapiro-Glickenhaus Entertainment

Oh, and did I mention in addition to the object, Grant also brought back a desiccated corpse? If I would have seen a body floating in space near me, it would have stayed there.

Back on Earth and in an isolation room, the resident scientist informs everyone that carbon dating has been done on the corpse and it is over 14,000 years old. However, the government lackey, Haskell (Reavis Graham) thinks it is all part of an elaborate ruse. This opinion ticks off Grant and the two men almost come to blows.

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Before you know it, everyone starts discussing the possibility of an ancient civilization living on the moon. While this debate about getting another manned mission to Earth’s satellite is raging, back in the isolation room, a robotic spider starts wreaking havoc and smashing things up.

When it escapes, alarms blast and the NASA guards attempt to find out what is going on. After they run into a gigantic Transformer comprised of different technical hardware and the skeleton of the space corpse, they immediately draw their weapons.

Even though they were told by the guards to hang back, Grant, Tanner, Haskell and several others tag along. Once they witness the barrage of gunfire, Tanner grabs a weapon and starts shooting. Grant also takes a firearm and climbs into the duct work.

Sure, why not? He is an astronaut. If he knows his way around space then he can figure out an elaborate heating and cooling system. Somehow, he locates the amalgamate of a cyborg and blows its head off. Game over, man!

The Eagle Has Landed

Moontrap – Astronauts Grant and Tanner – Courtesy of Moontrap – Kaalium – Courtesy of Magic Films, Shapiro-Glickenhaus Entertainment

This is where the movie really kicks it into high gear. Grant and Tanner are clowning around on the surface of the moon in search of an ancient base. Their buddy, Beck (Tom Case) is piloting the orbiter.

The two astronauts are tooling around in the Rover when the wheel gets stuck and they have to hoof it for a bit. They stumble upon the entrance to a base. As if the occupants inside know that they are there, a small beacon flashes beckoning them to the structure.

Once inside, they discover more skeletons and a woman! Yes, she is entombed in some suspended animation chamber. Grant and Tanner remove her. After some back and forth trying to educate her on their names, she reveals that she is Mera (Leigh Lombardi).

Obviously, Mera has been asleep for centuries. She hasn’t had a chance to get with the times. Let me tell you, she is sporting a David Bowie Ziggy Stardust do that is amazing. While they are getting to know her, another cyborg from hell is wrecking their command module. She also imparts the knowledge that the cyborgs are known as Kaaliums.

Beck notices what’s up and radios his buddies to exit the base pronto and take care of the module. Meanwhile in the orbiter, he is having issues of his own. Losing control, he plummets onto the moon’s surface and dies.

When the trio arrive at the module spot, they notice that it is gone. Things are about to get dire. Out of the blue, a Kaalium appears and a bad time becomes worse.

The Verdict

There is a twist to this movie and I don’t want to give any spoilers away so suffice it to say, you really need to see this production. If you go into Moontrap willingly and embrace it in all its B movie goodness, it is pretty enjoyable.

The effects aren’t sophisticated but hey, it was 1989. Tex Ragsdale’s script is chockful of some cliched “hero” speak but that is how throwbacks to the 1950’s era of sci-fi and horror flicks roll.

Robert Dyke’s direction is capable and he makes the most out of the low budget effects. As for Campbell and Koenig, neither one of these actors is a stranger to this type of production. I never thought I would see this and part of me wishes I wouldn’t have but Koenig has a love scene!

Bruce has a priceless moment in the movie where in true Campbell fashion, he makes it his own. No one chews scenery quite like him and he does it in a thoroughly appealing fashion.

This movie is steeped in nostalgia and if taken at face value and not expecting a JJ Abrams style spectacle, then you will enjoy Moontrap.

Next: 31 Days of Halloween: Alien Apocalypse – Insect Invasion

Have you seen Moontrap? If so, what did you think of it? If not, would this be the type of flick you would go for? Feel free to share your thoughts in the comment section below. We want to hear from you!

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