SHADOWZONE

creature sneaks up on Louise Fletcher

SHADOWZONE (1990). Written and directed by J. S. Cardone. 

In an isolated underground bunker on an abandoned base, scientists are doing experiments for NASA related to test flights. When one of the test subjects dies, Captain Hickok (David Beecroft) is called in to see what's up. There he meets the project head Dr. Van Fleet (James Hong), his assistant Dr. Erhardt (Louise Fletcher), Dr. Kidwell (Shawn Weatherly), technician Wiley (Miquel A. Nunez Jr.) and others. Their subjects are put in a deep sleep below the dream state which somehow opens up a doorway into a parallel dimension, and through that doorway comes a monstrous creature that can read minds and change its shape to look like anyone or anything. Worse, the creature is radioactive so security devices have locked everyone inside with it ... 

David Beecroft and Shawn Weatherly

Shadowzone sounds much better than it is. The movie has interesting elements but little is done with them, especially as it pertains to the monster's ability to metamorphose. The movie actually becomes less interesting when the monster gets loose because nothing that happens is that exciting. The creature doesn't look bad (well actually it looks pretty awful but you know what I mean)! Shadowzone has some atmosphere, a good location, and is well-acted by most of the cast. David Beecroft makes a convincing macho officer and struts his handsome stuff with the best of them. Poor Louise Fletcher, looking like something the cat dragged in, is also convincing enough even if the script doesn't offer her the most exiting part. James Hong is a good, very busy, and very familiar actor who's been working since the early fifties and is still working today, as is Miquel Nunez. 

Verdict: Like a comic book story from the fifties and about as scientifically accurate. **.