Syngenor (1990)

User Rating:

4.1/10   

Director:

George Elanjian Jr.

Writers:

Michael Carmody (story)
Brent V. Friedman (writer)

Genre:

Horror | Sci-Fi

Tagline:

Product of science - nightmare from hell

Plot:

A scientist engineers a group of genetically engineered cyborgs for use as "supersoldiers" to fight U.S. wars in the Middle East. However, things get ugly when the cyborgs malfunction and turn on their creators. |

Plot Keywords:

Unofficial Sequel | Monster | One Word Title | Cult Favorite | Independent Film

Cast

Starr Andreeff	...	Susan Valentine
Mitchell Laurance	...	Nick Cary
David Gale	...	Carter Brown
Charles Lucia	...	Stan Armbrewster
Riva Spier	...	Paul Gorski
Jeff Doucette	...	David Greenwait
Bill Gratton	...	Lt. Leo Rosselli
Lewis Arquette	...	Ethan Valentine
Jon Korkes	...	Tim Calhoun
Melanie Shatner	...	Bonnie Brown
Kenneth Zavayna	...	Sam Krebs (as Ken Zavayna)
Roy Fegan	...	Donnie
Julie Kris	...	Candy
Kate Romero	...	Brandy
Christopher Burgard	...	Scott

Also Known As:

Syngenor: Synthesized Genetic Organism (USA) (DVD box title)

Runtime:

98 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Stereo

Certification:

Australia:M | Germany:16 | UK:18 | USA:R

Company:

American Cinema Marketing

Trivia:

Producer Jack F. Murphy saw the original Scared to Death (1981/I) and was so impressed with the monster that he wanted to make another film utilizing the same monster design. However since the first film was so a low-budget and rarely seen he wanted to distance this sequel from it in order not to alienate a new potential audience that never heard of the first film. This is why there is no plot connection to "Scared to Death" other than the same monster design.

Quotes:

Carter Brown: Somebody wants me to fry - I can feel it.

Movie Connections:

Follows Scared to Death (1981/I)

Groom Of Re-animator...

For those who enjoyed David Gale in RE-ANIMATOR (and who didn't??) it would seem that SYNGENOR (that is SYNthesized GENetic ORganism) is required viewing. Hell, Gale even injects himself (IN THE NECK!!) with what appears to be a substance VERY SIMILAR to re-agent! In this sequel (?) to SCARED TO DEATH we have a corporation by the name of Norton Cyberdyne (rubbish logo by the way) who have created a series of "creatures" to act as "supersoldiers" in any upcoming conflict in "rain-free" (there's the catch...) environments, namely: The Middle East. Things go wrong (of course) resulting in a handful of Syngenors breaking free from their Cyberdyne basement confines to wreak havoc in true cheap-horror fashion. The creatures themselves (though obviously inspired by a certain Giger design) are the strong-point - I'd even go so far as to say that they're THE BEST low-bud monsters since INVASION OF THE SAUCER MEN, problem being there's too little running, blood & screaming to keep them occupied. When the "action" finally arrives we're treated - in one scene - to a selection of Cyberdyne guards - looking like they'd just fell out of an old (pre-flowerpot) DEVO promo - marching to the depths of the Cyberdyne 'scraper with such little conviction you'd swear the comedic angle was intentional. Perhaps this IS supposed to be funny: the "learned" screenwriters attempt to parody the perceived insanity of The Military Industrial Complex (TM) via both "Carter Brown" (Gale) & Cyberdyne's infommercial promo material. In the hands of an Italian director, SYNGENOR could have been a DEMONS style contender - as it stands, a reasonable stab at an SF/stalker/gore flick which attempts to recreate the intensity of a certain other film (yep, RE-ANIMATOR again) during in final minutes.