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The Beast with a Million Eyes follows the Kelley family, who's struggling to make ends meet in the middle of the California desert while also dealing with some serious dysfunction amongst them. Things get worse when a creature from outer space lands nearby and starts taking control of the surrounding animals in an effort to go up the ladder to control humans as well, and thus the Earth.
That premise sounds infinitely more interesting than what we got in the end. The film behaves like your typical 1950s cheap "creature feature" where two thirds of the film feature the characters trying to figure out what's going on, only to unleash whatever's threatening them in the last act. The Beast with a Million Eyes has a mostly dull and awkward two thirds, and then also fails to pay off in the last one.
First of all, the performances from the main cast are pretty weak, but even if they were stronger, the script doesn't help them. The way that the family dynamics are constructed makes no sense, with awkward interactions and them fighting one against the other one minute, and making up in the other. Finally, the logistics of how the alien operates is never properly taken advantage, relying mostly in some tedious expository dialogue to explain what's going on.
I've seen my fair share of cheap "creature features" and, even in the middle of their mediocrity, a lot of them know how to somewhat pay off with practical effects, fun characters, or some intense atmosphere. The Beast with a Million Eyes has none of that; not even a beast with a million eyes. Despite some interesting ideas, the film is an inept snoozefest.
Grade:
THE BEAST WITH A MILLION EYES
(1955, Kramarsky)
(1955, Kramarsky)
"That's our strength, Allan, being together. Alone, we're nothing."
The Beast with a Million Eyes follows the Kelley family, who's struggling to make ends meet in the middle of the California desert while also dealing with some serious dysfunction amongst them. Things get worse when a creature from outer space lands nearby and starts taking control of the surrounding animals in an effort to go up the ladder to control humans as well, and thus the Earth.
That premise sounds infinitely more interesting than what we got in the end. The film behaves like your typical 1950s cheap "creature feature" where two thirds of the film feature the characters trying to figure out what's going on, only to unleash whatever's threatening them in the last act. The Beast with a Million Eyes has a mostly dull and awkward two thirds, and then also fails to pay off in the last one.
First of all, the performances from the main cast are pretty weak, but even if they were stronger, the script doesn't help them. The way that the family dynamics are constructed makes no sense, with awkward interactions and them fighting one against the other one minute, and making up in the other. Finally, the logistics of how the alien operates is never properly taken advantage, relying mostly in some tedious expository dialogue to explain what's going on.
I've seen my fair share of cheap "creature features" and, even in the middle of their mediocrity, a lot of them know how to somewhat pay off with practical effects, fun characters, or some intense atmosphere. The Beast with a Million Eyes has none of that; not even a beast with a million eyes. Despite some interesting ideas, the film is an inept snoozefest.
Grade: