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The Advanced Guard

  • TV Movie
  • 1998
  • R
  • 1h 31m
IMDb RATING
4.2/10
339
YOUR RATING
The Advanced Guard (1998)
Home Video Trailer from Sci-Fi
Play trailer1:50
1 Video
7 Photos
Alien InvasionSci-FiThriller

As a prelude to full-blown alien invasion, a team of four aliens telepathically linked with their lifelike human-looking android bodies abducts four random humans to test them to determine i... Read allAs a prelude to full-blown alien invasion, a team of four aliens telepathically linked with their lifelike human-looking android bodies abducts four random humans to test them to determine if humans can make good slaves.As a prelude to full-blown alien invasion, a team of four aliens telepathically linked with their lifelike human-looking android bodies abducts four random humans to test them to determine if humans can make good slaves.

  • Director
    • Peter Geiger
  • Writers
    • Richard Kletter
    • Peter Geiger
  • Stars
    • Robert Amico
    • James Avery
    • David Campbell
  • See production info at IMDbPro
  • IMDb RATING
    4.2/10
    339
    YOUR RATING
    • Director
      • Peter Geiger
    • Writers
      • Richard Kletter
      • Peter Geiger
    • Stars
      • Robert Amico
      • James Avery
      • David Campbell
    • 9User reviews
    • 1Critic review
  • See production info at IMDbPro
  • Videos1

    The Colony (1998)
    Trailer 1:50
    The Colony (1998)

    Photos6

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    Top cast14

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    Robert Amico
    Robert Amico
    • Homeless Man killed by Bravo
    James Avery
    James Avery
    • Fred, Captive Security Guard
    David Campbell
    • Cop 2
    Cristi Conaway
    Cristi Conaway
    • Charley, Alien
    Michelle Davison
    • Ailene, Fred's Girl
    Isabella Hofmann
    Isabella Hofmann
    • Harper, Alien Scientist
    Jeff Kober
    Jeff Kober
    • Desmond, Captive Red Neck
    Eric Allan Kramer
    Eric Allan Kramer
    • Bravo, Alien Goon
    Jennifer O'Dell
    Jennifer O'Dell
    • Girl
    • (as Nonie Muse)
    John Prosky
    John Prosky
    • Alpha the Alien Commander
    Clare Salstrom
    Clare Salstrom
    • Laura, Captive
    James Sebastian
    • Man
    David Jean Thomas
    David Jean Thomas
    • Cop 1
    Michael Weatherly
    Michael Weatherly
    • Kevin, Captive
    • Director
      • Peter Geiger
    • Writers
      • Richard Kletter
      • Peter Geiger
    • All cast & crew
    • Production, box office & more at IMDbPro

    User reviews9

    4.2339
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    10

    Featured reviews

    Keith-196

    Tedium in extremis.

    I didn't realise this was a "made for TV movie" when I rented the DVD. Even by that standard this movie is very tedious and cliched. Not to be recommended. I didn't understand the significance of the naked female that appears a couple of times at the beginning of the movie. Well, perhaps I do now.
    8songbird-7

    Four alien scouts capture four humans and run tests to determine if humans are suitable for slavery.

    This is a very enjoyable TV movie. Yes, it is a low-budget film. But the writing is strong and the sets are done well. What is nice about the human characters in this movie is that they all act like real people. Each one has moments of anger and fear, but each also show strong, decent, heroic sides. There aren't any "weakling" or selfish jerk characters. The ending is no surprise, but getting there is what counts. And this nice little film delivers the goods.
    1TheLittleSongbird

    The Shockingly-bad Guard

    Admittedly, I wasn't expecting much from The Advanced Guard, but part of me was hoping for a somewhat watchable movie even with flaws. The Advanced Guard in the end was as far away from watchable. I know it's low budget, this wouldn't have mattered so much if it did look halfway decent. Instead it was pure tack, with the lighting lacking any kind of atmosphere and imagination and the sets looking gaudy in colour and like a cheaply done television show set. The editing also looked like it was done on a bacon slicer and that's being kind, and the special effects for the aliens(using suspended animation that wasn't very subtly used, both in how it looked and how often it was used)were so fake-looking. The way people look, dress and act looks dated also and would look more at home in the 70s. The dialogue was stilted and corny and not in an infectious way, this was really poor lazy scripting with not one single memorable line. The story was so silly to the point it was illogical(the naked woman thing I too don't get the significance of and consider her utilisation irrelevant), and also tedious and predictable. The ending also showed a writer who had very quickly run out of ideas. I'd forgive the characters being clichéd if they were interesting, but actually these characters- applying to the aliens as well as the victims- had no personality or development whatsoever so at the end you are like why should I care? The acting is pretty much non-existent. All in all, shockingly bad in all departments. 1/10 Bethany Cox
    7Bishoptrue

    Pretty Good Sci-Fi

    I caught this movie on the Sci-Fi channel, and was pleasantly surprised. It is somewhat formulaic, but if you are a fan of Sci-Fi in general, you may enjoy it. I felt that the cast acted quite well, and the special effects were quite well done for the obviously low budget. All and all, I'm glad I watched it.
    pops-9

    Alien's body search

    While it seemed long and drawn out in a few places, it was put into context so that you can understand why it had to be that bland in places. The aliens were searching for a world to use the bodies for own shells. Each world they destroyed supplied the bodies they needed to survive. They could not stay in their own bodies for long. The use of the new bodies was normally only a year long. Their bodies used the energy in their new bodies so that they would have to recharge their new bodies on a daily basis. The signs of courage, caring and self sacrifice demonstrated by the earthlings was the cause for the saving of the earth. Kept you wondering what was going to happen next and which of the alien examiners would win, the good or the bad.

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    Storyline

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    Did you know

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    • Trivia
      Michael Weatherly carries a Swiss Army knife which they use in a variety of escape plans. In real life, his father, Michael Weatherly Sr, is a millionaire exporter known for introducing the Swiss Army knife to America.
    • Goofs
      When the police car skids to a halt at the beginning of the movie, there are already skid marks on the pavement from previous takes.

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    Details

    Edit
    • Release date
      • March 21, 1998 (United States)
    • Country of origin
      • United States
    • Language
      • English
    • Also known as
      • The Colony
    • Filming locations
      • Los Angeles, California, USA(Filiming City)
    • Production companies
      • Ma & Pa Pictures
      • The Sci-Fi Channel
      • Trimark Pictures
    • See more company credits at IMDbPro

    Tech specs

    Edit
    • Runtime
      1 hour 31 minutes
    • Color
      • Color

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