Ferocious Planet (TV 2011)

A groundbreaking device is designed to glimpse alternate universes. But when the machine malfunctions and transports a group of observers into a nightmarish dimension of alien terrors, the travelers must use ingenuity to survive.

Director:

Billy O'Brien

Writer:

Douglas G. Davis

Stars:

Joe Flanigan, John Rhys-Davies, Catherine Walker

Cast

Credited cast:
Joe Flanigan	...	Colonel Sam Synn
John Rhys-Davies	...	Senator Jackson Crenshaw
Catherine Walker	...	Dr. Karen Fast
Dagmar Döring	...	Dr. Jillian O'Hara
Robert Soohan	...	Brian Murphy
Yare Michael Jegbefume	...	Lieutenant Rivers
Chris Newman	...	Pvt. Jordan Reid
Shashi Rami	...	Al Icia
Rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Kevin Flood	...	Lex Michaels
Sam O'Mahony	...	Josh Burk

Storyline

In the Federal Science Institute, Dr. Jillian O'Hara and her assistant Brian Murphy will demonstrate their research to a commission led by the arrogant Senator Jackson Crenshaw and Dr. Karen Fast from the president office expecting to keep the budget of her laboratory. Colonel Sam Synn is responsible for the security with Lieutenant Rivers and Pvt. Jordan Reid. Dr. O'Hara explains that her machine is the fruit of a long research initiated by her father and can show parallel dimensions. During the demonstration, there is a problem in the device and the room is transported to another dimension with everybody that is observing the experiment. Soon the survivors discover that the room is placed in the wilderness of a dangerous dimension inhabited with wild beasts.

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Plot Keywords:

soldier | senator | acid | interracial relationship | blood | 

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Genres:

Adventure | Sci-Fi | Thriller

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Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

9 April 2011 (USA)

Also Known As:

The Other Side

Filming Locations:

Dublin, County Dublin, Ireland

Company Credits

Production Co:

Parallel Film Productions, RHI Entertainment, Syfy

Technical Specs

Runtime:

88 min

Sound Mix:

Chace Surround (Westrex Recording System)

Color:

Color

Did You Know?

Goofs

The alien dimension is apparently populated by only one type of carnivorous animal. Where are the other animals which would be required as prey?

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Quotes

Colonel Sam Synn: We're definitely going to need a bigger boat.
Pvt. Jordan Reid: [Puzzled] Boat?

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Connections

References Fox and Friends (1998)

User Reviews

Alternate dimensions, weird creatures, and parking meters

A scientist endeavors to prove the existence of parallel dimensions by inventing a machine that provides a view through a portal to some of these alternate dimensions. During a demonstration of the device, something goes awry, and a bunch of people find themselves in the middle of what seems like an earthquake. But the reality of their situation is far worse. The machine has teleported them all to the dimension they were watching. From the title, you can guess the alternate universe is not where most people would want to spend their vacation.

One of SyFy's better efforts; the action is well handled, the creatures are designed and animated well, and the acting is above average. There's an ironic twist near the end, but too many clues make it pretty obvious long before the twist is revealed. The parking meter bits were actually clever, although the explanation for them was goofy.

The weakness is the formulaic approach: the characters are eliminated in the usual one-by-one manner of these type of movies, usually just as they say or do something stupid. It's usually obvious who's going to get it next, especially the clichéd knuckle-headed greedy guys in the group.

All in all, not bad for a TV movie and considering the weak theatrical releases out this summer, and the ticket prices that look like they were set by a big-oil executive, watching this for free is the better option.