The Class-Two asteroid Flora is on a collision course for earth and Commander Jack Rankin(Robetrt Horton) must take over operations of the space station Gamma Three from unproven Commander Vince Elliot(character actor Richard Jaeckel)..they will use a cruiser on the Gamma Three to land on Flora to detonate it before it can reach earth. They have 10 hours and immediately head for Flora and indeed accomplish their goal. What they do not expect is a second, and just as deadly, threat..green slime that, when feeding from energy, evolve into tentacled blob monsters with a big red eye(..with multiple collections of eyes underneath) and crab claw hands! These monsters electrocute their prey on instant contact resulting in immediate death. Using laser weapons on these creatures is oblivious because the green blood that releases from their wounds evolve into monsters themselves when contacting any form of energy! And, the monsters that bleed can heal themselves! Chief medical physician, Dr. Lisa Benson(foxy red-head Luciana Paluzzi)comes between Jack(her former flame)and Vince(her current flame and fiancé)resulting in a love triangle of galactic proportions(..well, maybe I’m exaggerating just a bit for effect). A past mission where Elliot made an order against Jack’s wishes resulting in many dead officers over one has put a bit of tension that remains throughout until the gung-ho final battle against the monsters at the end. Ever present is the love triangle which causes friction and an un-needed problem when trying to focus on how to kill these alien slime bastards. Quarantining the space station, Jack and company will exhaust every feasible option available before contemplating the most terrible one..exploding the space station before it can, like the asteroid before, threaten earth.
The film’s budget is low, relying heavily on models(mainly the space vehicles and station)and the sets are designed like something out of Classic Star Trek. The film’s cheap look might appeal and charm those who enjoy this type of movie. The sequence on the asteroid looks like some back-lot sound-stage. The rubber-suited monstrosities, with waving tentacles(you might be inspired to cry, “Warning! Warning!”)and screeching are right out of the Godzilla creature factory. In other words, the film is cheap so many viewers judging harshly will not like it. Director Kinji Fukasaku(Battle Royale)implements a claustrophobic style using zoom lens often keeping his camera close to the action and faces of the actors/actresses. He also keeps his camera moving with the action such as when the crew try to keep the monsters at bay or have to move with them throughout the space station. You know this feels like a Japanese creature feature merely replacing the typical Japanese cast with an American one.
