Product Details

• Actors: James Marsters, Cindy Sampson, Sanny van Heteren
• Directors: Kristoffer Tabori
• Format: AC-3, Color, Dolby, DVD, NTSC, Widescreen
• Language: English
• Region: Region 1 (U.S. and Canada only. Read more about DVD formats.)
  
• Aspect Ratio: 1.77:1
• Number of discs: 1
• Rated: Unrated
• Studio: Vivendi Entertainment
• DVD Release Date: April 6, 2010
• Run Time: 87 minutes
• Average Customer Review: 3.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (15 customer reviews)
• ASIN: B0031U8OE0
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #35,134 in Movies & TV (See Top 100 in Movies & TV)
• For more information about "High Plains Invaders (Maneater)" visit the Internet Movie Database (IMDb)

Editorial Reviews

Studio: Uni Dist Corp (music) Release Date: 04/06/2010 Run time: 87 minutes

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

19 of 19 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Mildly Entertaining Science Fiction Western, February 14, 2010

By 

Compay (New Orleans, LA) - See all my reviews
(TOP 500 REVIEWER)   

This review is from: High Plains Invaders (Maneater) (DVD)

High Plains Invaders is your run of the mill, made for cable movie. The synopsis provided by Amazon isn't exactly accurate though. The film takes place in 1892, and begins with train robber Sam Danville about to be executed by hanging. While described as an "honorable Indian-fighter" in the plot summary, Danville was actually guilty of robbing dozens of trains, his final robbery resulting in the death of passengers after a derailment.

Danville's hanging is interrupted by interstellar miners that resemble mechanical scorpions, referred to as "bugs" by the only people left in town. The movie takes a page from Tremors with respect to how the band of survivors deals with the deadly bugs.

The SyFy Channel film was shot in Romania, and stars James Marsters, better known as Spike from Buffy the Vampire Slayer. The majority of the cast has worked almost entirely in television, and only Marsters demonstrates much screen presence. Certain elements of the film such as who gets a dose of karma, as well as the movie's conclusion, are a bit predictable.

Handgun aficionados and true Wild West fans might be a little disappointed with the director's abandonment of authenticity. Several characters carry double-action Smith & Wesson revolvers that hadn't even been invented by 1892. A number of revolvers used in the film (King Cobra, etc) aren't in sync with the time period, most of townsmen and bounty hunters alike would have been carrying a single-action Colt Peacemaker.

Overall, the film's concept itself is off the beaten path, which is why it makes for a halfway interesting movie. Watch the movie once and decide if owning the DVD is for you.

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Decent Twist for an Icky Bug Movie, June 11, 2010

By 

Fred Rayworth (Las Vegas, NV United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: High Plains Invaders (Maneater) (DVD)

I love my icky bug, and this little film is no exception. It has a unique twist in that it takes place in the 1880's in Colorado. Having monsters running around in a cowboy town isn't done often so this was a refreshing change.

The CGI for the monsters was well done and the half mechanical/half biological icky bugs looked and acted great.

I liked the cast, especially the female bounty hunter (a German actress named Sanny van Heteren) and the main character, James Marsters.

My only beef is with the pitchblende, raw and/or supposedly refined. First off, just crushing it isn't refining it. Second, unless it was super-weak, it would've cooked the scientist, Jules Arning (played by Sebastian Knapp) to a crisp long before the icky bugs came to town, not to mention contaminating most if not all of the town. However, I don't watch these movies for science lessons and have no problem suspending my disbelief. As long as the ending makes at least half sense, I'm okay. In this case, a stick of dynamite plays the pivotal role in repelling the invaders. In a more modern version of this tale, the invaders would be eating dynamite for breakfast, but given the time period (and lack of technology), there was not much else they could have used against them.

There are other reality issues but not worth worrying about. From the scenery and some of the names of minor cast members and crew, I can assume this movie was filmed in Romania where production costs are much cheaper than here in the states.

Overall, a good Saturday evening icky bug. Highly recommended.

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars HIGH TECH NOON, May 7, 2010

By 

Michael Butts (Berkeley Springs, WV USA) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)    (TOP 1000 REVIEWER)    (HALL OF FAME REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: High Plains Invaders (Maneater) (DVD)

This MANEATERS entry has an interesting premise but doesn't live up to its potential. Set in 1890's Colorado, a small town is invaded by scorpion/spider like monsters who are from outer space and for some reason eat uranium.
James Marsters stars as a convicted killer who is spared the noose when the monsters attack and becomes the town's savior.
The effects are pretty good, but the movie never really takes off and the ending just happens without any real fanfare.
A good concept haphazardly executed.