Dynamixor The performances transcend the film's tropes, grounding it in characters that feel more complete than this subgenre often produces.

Calum Hutton It's a good bad... and worth a popcorn matinée. While it's easy to lament what could have been...

Marva It is an exhilarating, distressing, funny and profound film, with one of the more memorable film scores in years,

Cristal The movie really just wants to entertain people.

Scott LeBrun Psychedelia mixes with "future" technology in this groovy Italian sci-fi flick. The set-up by screenwriter Ivan Reiner: the all-powerful "The Corporations" are competing fiercely with the "United Democracies". But a nefarious executive / mad scientist with The Corporations, Mr. Nurmi (Massimo Serato), has a plan that involves abducting various people within the U.D., adults and children alike. It's up to a can-do rescue unit led by the efficient Commander Mike Halstead (Tony Russel) to save the day.This was the first in a "Gamma One" series of spaghetti science fiction features, also including "War of the Planets", "War Between the Planets", "The Snow Devils", and "The Green Slime". Directed by Antonio Margheriti, this colorful fluff is vividly designed and just full of eye candy - of both the scenic and the female human variety. It's not for all tastes, though. There will be viewers who will likely find it to be too slow and too dependent on talk rather than action. But that doesn't mean that the movie is devoid of amusements. There's a gut busting fight sequence at right about the half way point, and there are also elements such as sunglasses and trenchcoat wearing bald robot henchmen, hand held weapons that are supposedly lasers but act more like miniature flamethrowers, and a major deluge of Kool-Aid at the end. The costumes and sets are simply out of sight, and the music by Angelo Francesco Lavagnino is a joy.The acting is acceptable for this kind of entertainment. Russel is a decent, amiable hero, and Lisa Gastoni is similarly appealing as his love interest. Serato is a fine villain in the classic tradition of mad scientists. And it's a special treat to see a very young and studly Franco Nero among the supporting cast.It's best to go in blind, as this viewer did, so one can have a better sense of "What the Hell is going on?" while watching. The big twist leads to some pretty amusing visual gags. (It's nice to see that this movie does have a sense of humor about itself.) The special effects are primitive (such as model spaceships that seem to only go in circles), but this merely adds to the charm.Worthy viewing if one loves schlock.Seven out of 10.

MartinHafer This Italian sci-fi movie was filmed at the same time as two other Italian sci-fi movies--the names are listed on IMDb. While this was done for economy sake, it also made the three movies seem very similar--in other words BAD! I don't know if I have a strong enough stomach to watch them all, but at least taking a quick look is worth your time if you are a bad movie fan.Now as for the plot, I found it all very confusing and irrelevant. There was something about a mad scientist doing eugenics experiments on people as well as shrinking them. Yeah, whatever. Instead, what I loved was the crazy mid-1960s Italian sets, makeup and costumes. They were so over the top and silly and EXCESSIVE that the film was like what you'd expect if you combined Liberace's home with Star Wars! The blue eye shadow, the vinyl clothes, the silly "modern" cars, etc. were all so laughably bad--making the sets for BARBARELLA look tame and understated!!! The bottom line is that the story and dialog totally stink but the awfulness of the set designs make the whole silly thing worth a look. I particularly liked all the bald guys in sunglasses with four arms as well as at the end when the entire evil lair was destroyed by pink Kool-Aid! A truly bizarre and pointless film that pops out off the screen due to its garishness.

Joe Stemme Not a bad variation of THE MYSTERIANS crossed with BRAVE NEW WORLD with little WESTWORLD tossed in. I have to say the sets were pretty darn impressive in design for such a low low budget. How many indies have we all sat through that don't even try? Seriously, it surprises me that so many people can see the entertainment value in current day schlock like SKY CAPTAIN, BLADE:TRINITY or THE FORGOTTEN but don't get as big a kick out of vintage stuff like WILD WILD PLANET. For me, I'd rather see it in a low budget film than in a crass Studio product (emphasis on "Product"). But, hey, I loved THE APPLE!Director Anthony Margheriti was a prolific Italian filmmaker who did a series of 60's SF films and WILD WILD PLANET may have been the best. The film is slow in developing, and you have to question such an extensive use of miniatures when they rarely work (if at all). Still, it's a reminder that it's too bad Italy (and really the rest of the world outside of Asia) have basically given up on trying to compete with the U.S. in the SF genre.

Space_Mafune I really like this one myself but most will find it a little slow-moving. But this cool-looking New Age Sci-Fi is filled most importantly to me with lots of retro 1950s style spaceships and 1960s style futuristic landscapes. The story is a little bit confusing but the film is a fun watch if one likes to enjoy the stuff in the background..model work, colors and such.