Wow! I honestly can't believe that I'd never heard of this excellent little eighties horror film! How The Rejuvenator has managed to stay undiscovered all these years is anyone's guess, as this entertaining mix of splatter and Sunset Blvd does what it says on the tin, and then some! Science and the human body give way to all kinds of horrific horror scenarios - from the constant attempts to rebuild a face in the French classic Eyes Without a Face, to the teleporting disasters in The Fly, you can usually count on an intriguing, and frightening, film if it's based on something scientific. The plot here focuses on actress Elizabeth Warren; she's now too old for the good roles, and like most women, wants to recapture her youth. Unlike most women, however, she's prepared to go that extra mile to realise her dream, and she employs Dr. Gregory Ashton to make her young again. He discovers something in the brain that affects the aging process, and soon performs his experiment on her. But it has unforeseen side effects, and pretty soon Elizabeth begins regenerating into a hideous brain eating monster!
Given that it's an eighties horror film, you've got to expect rather a lot of silliness and tacky special effects, which the film has in droves; but it has to be said that the plot is carried off really well, and despite being cheap and nasty, the special effects fit the film and are a hell of a lot more believable than the CGI that would infect The Rejuvenator if it were made nowadays. The characters aren't exactly well defined, but a film like this needs the audience to care at least somewhat for them otherwise the story won't hold any weight, and director Brian Thomas Jones obviously knows that as he ensures that the situation feels as real as possible. The acting isn't bad, and sees Vivian Lanko doing well in the double central role, and while John MacKay doesn't exactly convince as a genius doctor - he's at least fun to watch, and the two have some chemistry together. The film is interesting throughout, and while there's no out and out standout moments, there's enough going on for it to remain interesting. Overall, The Rejuvenator might not appeal to everyone, but if you like your eighties horror cheesy and imaginative - I'm pretty sure you'll enjoy this!
