Killer Tomatoes Strike Back!

As far as I can see, this third installment is basically more of the same. This time it is detective Lance Boyle teaming up with babe scientist Kennedi Johnson to fight the vile vegetables. It is also a sendup of tabloid television and trash talkshows. I guess you shouldn't expect much of credibility from a movie about killer tomatoes, but I guess this is as credible as the intended market, 10-14 year olds, need.

The movie tries to play in the same league as Loaded Weapon or Naked Gun police spoofs, but just like the Police Academy sequels, it doesn't have the budget to go through with it. This kind of movies needs at least one joke a minute - as a minimum. The movie has a few good jokes but not nearly enough. Dr. Gangreen's hideout looks cheap, the water in the piranha tank is dyed black since there no piranhas and, most important, it is filled with second-rate actors. Neither Rick Rockwell or Crystal Carson had much experience before - or has had much since, at least as far as feature films are concerned. (Rick Rockwell is now, well, famous as the millionaire in 'Who wants to marry a millionaire?') And some scenes are superfluous, like Lance Boyle visiting the zoo or the irate guy at the bank.

If you like horror movies and the Police Academy series, you will love this. Otherwise, spend some time benefiting humanity instead.

Well, it's a lot more entertaining that most of the previous installements. If you turn off your brain you might even get a giggle ouf of this movie.

As others mentionned, it's a poor attempt at imitating the Leslie Nielson /Zucker brothers movie style.

I think the funniest thing in this movie is seeing people wearing MC Hammer pants with a suit jacket... man thats scary!

The original 1978 Attack Of The Killer Tomatoes was an oddly entertaining funny little film that mocked itself from start to finish with it's Airplane (1980) style humour.

It's sequel was far weaker but still delivered the laughs, this third movie delivers them very few and far between but there is still fun to be had.

Following directly on from the second film we see John Astins Professor Gangreen return with another scheme for world domination.

The tomato sfx have gotten more advanced and that's a bad thing, the novelty has thoroughly worn off and it's just not funny anymore.

The cast make the most of the script and there are laughs to be had but the whole killer tomato's thing has grown stale.

The Good:

Hilarious opening sequence

The Bad:

Novelty has worn thin

Not as much humour as previous films

Things I Learnt From This Movie:

I may have been a tomatologist in a previous life

Boyles trouser collection is the stuff of legends

Ordering a bloody mary in a tomato bar is unwise

I found the Godtomato scene more interesting than every Godfather movie combined

A woman having ketchup poured all over her chest is not as sexy as you'd imagine

This is the third in the four films of the Killer Tomatoes trilogy. Unlike the others, this one didn't even attempt a theatrical release and went straight to video. In fact, it almost seems to have been fit into the production schedule during a lull in the preparations for the climatic KILLER TOMATOES EAT FRANCE.

This installment takes the form of a police thriller. Rick Rockwell (the future "Who Wants to Marry a Millionaire?") stars as Lance Boyle, a Dirty Harry parody. J. Stephen Peace does his third and final turn as Wilbur Finletter, hero of the Tomato Wars and now a police captain. Crystal Carson is this installment's obligatory gorgeous blonde, in this case the biochemist Kennedi Johnson.

The ever-delightful John Astin returns as the nefarious Professor Gangrene, this time setting his sights on conquering through the world through the medium of daytime talkshows. Aiding him is the ever-faithful and ever-dim Igor, played as always by Steve Lundquist.

Aside from the original, this is probably the lowest-budgeted of the Killer Tomatoes series. Still, the creative team makes the most of their resources. Look for appearances in front of the camera by various members of the creative team.

The Killer Tomatoes series is almost a world in itself. The cast and crew do not appear to have been involved in many other film or TV projects. Given the gorgeous leading ladies, this is a bit of a tragedy. Still, given how few people ever get to make a single film, let alone complete a four-part trilogy, De Bello and his team have pulled off quite an accomplishment. Thanks, guys!

Say what you want about the "Killer Tomato" flicks, but this particular entry does contain one of the better and more beautiful homage sequences to classic horror milestones that I've seen in a long, long time. There's a wondrous scene that spoofs/tributes "Jaws", "Psycho" and "The Omen" all at the same time. During a virulent tomato attack in the shower, both the uncomfortable tune of "Jaws" and the satanic music of "The Omen" can be heard. Very pleasant regardless of how stupid it sounds and looks.

I seem to be watching the "Killer Tomato" franchise in reversed order. The fourth and thus far final episode "Killer Tomatoes Eat France" was the first film I watched – and admittedly quite liked – and this second sequel (the one NOT starring George Clooney in an early embarrassing role) is also my second acquaintance. This time, the killer tomatoes and their wacky master Dr. Gangrene are back. The crazed maniacal scientist now even hosts a TV talk show and fiendishly plots to take over the world via subliminal brainwash messages. The only people who are able to stop him are the sport-addicted detective Wilbur Finletter, who denies the existence of killer tomatoes, and the sexy female "tomatologist" Kennedi Johnson. Like with "Killer Tomatoes Eat France", the film relies on a handful of downright hilarious situations and genuinely clever gags, but the overall wholesome of the script is plot-free and juvenile. Personally, I find it very amusing to watch tomatoes wearing tiny little Jason Voorhees hockey masks or ninja outfits, but obviously you can't really refer to it as being a good film. John Astin obviously enjoys himself very much, as he purposely aims his over-the-top evil laughs directly into the camera and combs his longish hair in such a wild and unmannered style that he looks even more deranged. I guess it's because movies like this one that some brainiac invented the term "guilty pleasure".