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The Supernaturals More at IMDbPro »

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6 out of 6 people found the following review useful:
You'll like it. Not much, but you'll like it., 6 March 2002
Author: The Yeti from Mt Everest

This is another movie to put on the ALRIGHT chart. Scottish-born Maxwell Caulfield and Star Treks Nichelle Nichols go down to the woods and get a big surprise. No, not Jason, ZOMBIES! A force that has brought back the dead confederate soldiers to wreak revenge on some recruits. The direction isn't up to much, the story is quite shoddy and the characters are wimps apart from the 2 listed above. The scares of being chased through the woods are quite enjoyable and the shoot-outs are quite good. But to be honest, I've seen more gore in Scooby-Doo than in this! 5.5 out of 10.

4 out of 4 people found the following review useful:
I was right the first time..., 9 February 2009

Author: (Vomitron_G) from the Doomed Megalopolis of Blasphemous Technoids

I remember seeing this one as a kid but failed to remember much else from it. Now I know why: Not much happens in it. The only few merits it has, are the neat ghost story concept (Return of the Civil War Zombies) and some commendable attempts at creating atmosphere (mainly with the use of lighting and fog). Too bad the rest of the film is a dud. It's like it wants to, but can't, really.

The zombies appear to have cool make-up effects, but it's hard to tell because you hardly get a good look at them. It sort of plays out like a supernatural slasher movie in the woods. The teenagers here are simply replaced with a bunch of military soldiers in training (or something). Either way, they all still act like teenage boy-scouts. A lot of them do get killed, but never in exuberant ways. THE SUPERNATURALS might still be worth a watch if you fancy this type of typical 80's stuff, but make sure to lower your expectations.

I really wanted to like this film a bit more, this second time around. But it just remains a flawed movie. If it would have had at least a slightly higher pace and a bit more memorable death-scenes, I would have been more forgiving. Now, I'm just very sorry.

4 out of 4 people found the following review useful:
Very cheesy..., 12 September 1999
Author: WritnGuy from New Jersey

I am a huge fan of zombie movies, so, when I found this one, I jumped to the chance of renting it. And then I knew I made a bad choice.

The movie is about a group of army recruits being led into the backwoods by their head sergeant, Uhura from Star Trek. And I'll be damned if this wasn't another sequel to those Police Academy movies or something. From that marching band music, to goofy acting, to constant joking, and so on, I was really thinking this was like the 8th sequel, "Assignment in Alabama" or something. And that wasn't a good sign.

Eventually, some "supernatural" stuff starts to happen, relating back to some flashback of a kid walking through a minefield with all these Confederate soldiers, only to have all of them blown away, except for him. A very cheesy scene. There's this woman the group finds, and apparently, they have no questioning as to who she really is, or what she's doing there. She's just with them now.

I was starting to fall asleep until finally some guy got killed by two zombies in an underground bunker. Then there's that, "We've found a body, now let's find the killer" scheme until finally, that night, there is...yes...a shoot-out between zombies--which we barely ever see--and the recruits, who are getting killed left and right. But it's no bloodbath.

There's a lot of scenes with this one guy and the zombies, while Uhura and some other chick hide behind rocks with a few other survivors and shoot at zombies. It was all really lame, until the terrible ending that had nothing resembling a climax. And then it ended. We saw an equivalent of ten zombies in the whole movie, uninteresting deaths, and basically no horror. Skip this one. It's not only a bad zombie movie, it's a bad horror movie in total.

4 out of 6 people found the following review useful:
Decent attempt at a zombie flick., 21 December 2002

Author: gridoon

I've read some pretty extreme (both positive and negative) reviews for this movie, but it's really a very middle-of-the-road affair. It's directed competently enough to keep you from feeling that you totally wasted your time with it, but it's also so derivative that it can even be called a ripoff (especially of Herschell Gordon Lewis' "Two Thousand Maniacs"; it has practically the same plot). The opening sequence is the best. (**)

4 out of 6 people found the following review useful:
A cult horror classic, 4 December 2002
Author: mat_williams62

'The Supernaturals' is one of the most sinister horror films to come out of the 1980's. The location for this zombie flick is aptly used: somewhere in the 'sullen backwoods' of America. We are, at first, introduced to a regiment of Confederate soldiers who are forced, by the Union forces - the 44th - to walk across a section of woodland laced with mines. The entire regiment are blown to all four points of the compass, with the exception of Jeremy, a young boy dressed as a confederate. He, along with his mother, exhibits a seemingly unearthly power, which consequently saves his life. Fast-forward to the year 1985: a troup of U.S. soldiers - the 44th division - are on manouvers in the same backwoods. Little do they know what atrocities befell the original regiment of the 44th - until they unwittingly camp upon the same cursed ground. Radio contact fails, troops begin to disappear during their routine watch - all hell breaks loose, as the past catches up with the members of the 44th. The woods serve as an appropriate setting for this creepy horror movie, and there is - despite previous reviews - enough gore to keep the average horror fan entertained. However, what makes this film stand out from other zombie films, is the tight plot and the faultless directing. The use of the mist-shrouded woods, the 'seemingly' disused underground bunkers and the ancient stone cottage - now a haven for the long-dead - create an eerie atmosphere. The sharpened tree branches see members of the 44th staked - vampire fashion. Mawell Caulfield (Sundown: The Vampire in Retreat; The Boys Next Door; Gettysburg: Waxwork 2: Lost in Time) shines, as ever, in this horror masterpiece!

1 out of 1 people found the following review useful:
Great premise flounders in a sadly mediocre execution, an unfortunate missed opportunity., 7 July 2009

Author: t-birkhead from United Kingdom

I was moderately excited to see this one, after all the premise is rock solid. New army recruits doing training manoeuvres in the woods encounter undead menace from the American Civil War, with a cruel flashback opening and the suggestion that strange things persist in the area all set expectations high. Then there's the lively acting and reasonable writing that give off the impression in the first ten minutes or so that this is going to be pretty solid stuff. Sadly as the film goes on the pacing slows to a crawl and the feed of interesting moments and mild spooks is all too slow, which combined with the lack of grue or plot development make for an experience that is two thirds stodgy and kinda tedious. For a lot of the first hour I was looking at my watch, which isn't ideal. The effects are good and there are some nice moments, but director Armand Mastroianni puts things across in largely uninspired style and worst of all the film mostly isn't weird or incompetent enough to deliver unintentional humour or oddball kicks. Acting wise there are a few perks. The big draw is seeing Nichelle Nichols (in a rare film appearance) and LeVar Burton together in the same film and as a big fan of Star Trek: The Next Generation and a minor fan of the original series I was pleased to see these two together, with both putting in good performances. Nichols perhaps was not the best choice for a tough leader but she still does pretty well. Also, Maxwell Caulfield does reasonably as the nominal hero and Talia Balsam is both likable and easy on the eye as a female recruit. The woodland is a good setting and when watching it helped that I am a huge fan of backwoods horror, but the film only really takes wing in the final half hour delivering a smart dose of interest and thrills that lift the film somewhat but still can't make it overall that good. In the end I wasn't too dismayed by the whole affair, but it still isn't terribly good. Far from the worst out there, but still a film that i would only really recommend to backwoods horror and zombie completists, as most others will likely find it too weak.

1 out of 1 people found the following review useful:
Mindless fun., 18 June 2006

Author: insomniac_rod from Noctropolis

*** This review may contain spoilers ***

I didn't like this movie although the premise is really good. These post-war zombie movies are very popular and this one is very decent. If done correctly, this movie would have the status of a respectable zombie movie. The cinematography is really good and plays a key part in the most important scenes, for example, the ending.

The f/x are really are cheesy but work for the movie's purpose. Still I can't recommend this movie for it's visuals... in fact, it's a boring movie with a lot of wasted potential.

Watch it only if you get it for free. I catched it on late cable many years ago and I can't say that I regret about it, but I wouldn't watch it again!

Try "Stryker's War" for a more entertaining movie in the likes of this one.

1 out of 1 people found the following review useful:
So-So movie for night owls who have nothing else to do., 26 May 2000

Author: mjshannon from LaGrange, Illinois

There was the potential for this to be something quite good, except the script and acting got in the way. The backwoods locales are, for the most part, effective and promising but with Nichelle Nichols as the Sargeant you know your in trouble. Maybe if she just tried to act a little bit instead of sleepwalking through her role another dimension could have been added to this yawner but seeing as how she's not getting much help from her supporting actors(including Star Trek:The Next Generation's LeVar Burton)or limp script, who can really blame her? In the midst of the regular lulls in the action there actually are a few inspired scenes of zombie Confederate troops lumbering across mist enshrouded fields and a scare or two in a well conceived and spooky underground bunker but before anything much happens the movie is over. That the production team does deliver a few rather cool effects and scenes is a credit to their frugality as this was a very cheap film indeed! Maybe they should have saved up a few coppers more and invested in a better script and a director who could get something out of his leads. Oh well, if this is ever on late night TV you might want to tune in for the two or three effective moments,otherwise keep lookin'!

2 out of 3 people found the following review useful:
A huge letdown, 16 June 2006

Author: Woodyanders (Woodyanders@aol.com) from The Last New Jersey Drive-In on the Left

*** This review may contain spoilers ***

1865: A sadistic Union army commander forces several Confederate soldiers to walk across a minefield, brutally slaughtering the whole luckless lot of 'em in the process. 1985: A small group of raw Army recruits go into the same backwoods territory where the massacre occurred for basic maneuvers. The motley assortment of scruffy grunts discover the hard way that the eerie land is crawling with vicious, inhospitable, creepily cadaverous skull-faced zombies who don't take kindly to any trespassers on their sacred terrain. The zoms are still alive because a little psychic boy who witnessed the massacre in 1865 refuses to let the poor buggers die. The kid's beautiful, still alive mother (the strikingly comely Margaret Shendal) falls for nice guy GI Ray (hunky Maxwell Caulfield of "Grease 2" and "The Boys Next Door" fame) while the other less lucky squad members get stiffed by the shambling undead Civil War ghouls.

Although the seemingly can't miss premise -- a genuinely inspired fright film amalgam of "2000 Maniacs," "Southern Comfort" and "Night of the Living Dead" -- promises a good, spooky "high concept" horror movie outing, "The Supernaturals" alas qualifies as a humongous letdown due largely to a terribly dry and rudimentary execution. Director Armand Mastroianni, the same guy responsible for the awfully boring slasher turkey "He Knows You're Alone," crucially fails to build any necessary tension or momentum, thus allowing this dud to tediously slog towards a rather drawn-out, less-than-harrowing conclusion. Caulfield, Nichelle Nichols ("Star Trek" 's Lt. Uhura), Levar Burton, Bobby Di Cicco, Talia Balsam, and "Bad Ronald" 's Scott Jacoby all contribute excellent, creditable performances, but not even their considerable acting skills can inject any much-needed vitality into this lifeless, lethargic loser. The nifty, scarcely seen zombie make-up by Mark Shostrom and Kevin Yagher, a typically nice, moody score by the great, grossly under-appreciated B-movie composer Robert O. ("Mansion of the Doomed," "Grizzly") Ragland, and Peter Collister's stately, proficient cinematography are all up to snuff, but sound technical credits can't compensate for this snoozer's unbearably dormant, extremely slow and soporific pacing, conspicuously meager two-cent production values, and a hopelessly muddled, confusing story that isn't unraveled in a clear, compelling manner. Co-written and co-produced by longtime hack horror filmmaker Joel Soisson, this stupendously lackluster Sandy Howard production proves to be as successful at evoking chills and involving the viewer as General Custer was at besting the Indians at the Battle of Little Big Horn.

2 out of 3 people found the following review useful:
Underrated, 1 January 2004

Author: Apollyon_Crash from Meridian, MS, USA

The Supernaturals is a highly flawed, sometimes corny, but occasionally scary film. Although the dialogue is bad, numerous technical mistakes are made (especially the entire nature of military training exercises), and the climax is somewhat confusing, the film maintains an unsettling atmosphere, which is surprising given that the best parts of the film take place in broad daylight. Anyone who likes a ghost story or "living dead" films (this could conceivably fit into either category) should enjoy it.

6/10

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