MovieMonday.com - Prototype X29A with Lane Lenhart, Robert Tossberg, Brenda Swanson, Paul Coulj, Mitchell Cox

Techno Films

Prototype X29A (C-)

STARS...
Lane Lenhart, Robert Tossberg, Brenda Swanson, Paul Coulj, and Mitchell Cox.

PLOT SUMMARY...
In the future, a crippled man is transplanted into a killer robot.

QUICK SCAN...
This film could be compared to "The Terminator". PROTOTYPE features action and FX. The computer visuals, representing the robot's point of view, are quite good. The film's Musical Score, by Emilio Kauderer, is sensitive and moving.

DIRECTOR: Phillip Roth
YEAR & RATING: 1992 (R)

BEST BETS:

Robocop

Terminator
SYNOPSIS...
In Los Angeles, in 2057, a killer robot, the Prototype, kills cybernetically altered humans called Omegans. One Omegan child, a girl, is sent away to safety. Almost all the rest of the Omegans die.

Twenty years later, a female scientist studies and reactivates a Prototype. A crippled guy is put inside. He makes love to the grown-up Omegan girl.

The Prototype begins to kill the remaining Omegans. He can not bring himself to kill the Omegan girl. He deactivates himself, and dies.

Review:

PROTOTYPE X29A, Written and Directed by Philip Roth, is an initially clever Sci-Fi yarn that too soon runs out of gas.

Writer/Director Roth starts his film strongly. In Los Angeles in 2057, we see the Prototype, a "Robocop" like warrior, tracking down and killing Omegans, who are cybernetically altered humans. This is my favorite scene in the film.

Director Roth delivers great computer visuals, which represent the Prototype's P.O.V., as its missiles fly toward their targets.

Then we move forward twenty years. A female scientist, curious about the Prototype warriors, studies a computer program about them. Eventually she re-activates one, and plants a wheelchair bound guy inside. None of this is as interesting or involving as the film's opening sequence

The cast includes Lane Lenhart, Robert Tossberg, Brenda Swanson, Paul Coulj, and Michael Cox. None of them make much of an impression. O.J. Simpson's friend, "Kato" Kaelin, has a small part.

Roth's dialogue leans toward the pseudo-profound. When the crippled guy, Hawkins, is transplanted into the Prototype, he chats with an old scientist. Prototype/Hawkins: "I understand. I am alone now." Scientist: "We are all alone, Hawkins." Ain't it the truth! Heavy!

Director of Photography, Mark W. Gray, does a decent job on the interior scenes. A yellow filter, used on the outdoor scenes, however, results in unattractive visuals.

The film's Music, by Emilio Kauderer, is sensitive and emotional, sometimes utilizing a choir of voices. In some ways the music is superior to the film itself.

The Prototype suit was Created by George Temple and Robert J. Marino. While owing a lot to "Robocop", the silvery Prototype battle suit is fairly impressive for a low budget Sci-Fi film.

PROTOTYPE X29A will not be very watchable for most Sci-Fi fans. "Robocop" fans will be particularly disappointed. PROTOTYPE X29A is not the blueprint for a good time.

MovieMonday.com * Super Star Index * Award Winners * CelebrityFrame.com

Prototype X29A (C-)
	STARS... Lane Lenhart, Robert Tossberg, Brenda Swanson, Paul Coulj, and Mitchell Cox. PLOT SUMMARY... In the future, a crippled man is transplanted into a killer robot. QUICK SCAN... This film could be compared to "The Terminator". PROTOTYPE features action and FX. The computer visuals, representing the robot's point of view, are quite good. The film's Musical Score, by Emilio Kauderer, is sensitive and moving.
DIRECTOR: Phillip Roth YEAR & RATING: 1992 (R) BEST BETS: Robocop Terminator	SYNOPSIS... In Los Angeles, in 2057, a killer robot, the Prototype, kills cybernetically altered humans called Omegans. One Omegan child, a girl, is sent away to safety. Almost all the rest of the Omegans die. Twenty years later, a female scientist studies and reactivates a Prototype. A crippled guy is put inside. He makes love to the grown-up Omegan girl. The Prototype begins to kill the remaining Omegans. He can not bring himself to kill the Omegan girl. He deactivates himself, and dies.
Review: PROTOTYPE X29A, Written and Directed by Philip Roth, is an initially clever Sci-Fi yarn that too soon runs out of gas. Writer/Director Roth starts his film strongly. In Los Angeles in 2057, we see the Prototype, a "Robocop" like warrior, tracking down and killing Omegans, who are cybernetically altered humans. This is my favorite scene in the film. Director Roth delivers great computer visuals, which represent the Prototype's P.O.V., as its missiles fly toward their targets. Then we move forward twenty years. A female scientist, curious about the Prototype warriors, studies a computer program about them. Eventually she re-activates one, and plants a wheelchair bound guy inside. None of this is as interesting or involving as the film's opening sequence The cast includes Lane Lenhart, Robert Tossberg, Brenda Swanson, Paul Coulj, and Michael Cox. None of them make much of an impression. O.J. Simpson's friend, "Kato" Kaelin, has a small part. Roth's dialogue leans toward the pseudo-profound. When the crippled guy, Hawkins, is transplanted into the Prototype, he chats with an old scientist. Prototype/Hawkins: "I understand. I am alone now." Scientist: "We are all alone, Hawkins." Ain't it the truth! Heavy! Director of Photography, Mark W. Gray, does a decent job on the interior scenes. A yellow filter, used on the outdoor scenes, however, results in unattractive visuals. The film's Music, by Emilio Kauderer, is sensitive and emotional, sometimes utilizing a choir of voices. In some ways the music is superior to the film itself. The Prototype suit was Created by George Temple and Robert J. Marino. While owing a lot to "Robocop", the silvery Prototype battle suit is fairly impressive for a low budget Sci-Fi film. PROTOTYPE X29A will not be very watchable for most Sci-Fi fans. "Robocop" fans will be particularly disappointed. PROTOTYPE X29A is not the blueprint for a good time.