Killer Tomatoes Strike Back

Dir: John De Bello

1991

****

Anyone who ever says something derogatory regarding the Killer Tomatoes clearly either hasn't seen it, doesn't understand it and has a vital part of their anatomy missing, in particular, their funny bone. Attack of the Killer Tomatoes was good satire done on a small budget, while Return of the Killer Tomatoes was epic satire done on a slightly bigger budget. I get the sense that John De Bello had slightly more money for Killer Tomatoes Strike Back, although the film isn't as satirical as the two previous episodes. This time round, De Bello sticks to parodying other specific films (rather than film in general) as well as exploring what I think most viewers who are new to the series expect it to be. The previous films have pictures of large tomatoes with angry faces on them, which were all part of the satire and not really the point of the film. Here, for the first time, the tomatoes have faces and can sort of speak. I'm a huge fan of puppetry so I approve but it was a far cry from the genius satire of the first two films. However, with a cult fan-base and probably more confidence, De Bello indulges himself and really lets himself go and makes Killer Tomatoes Strike Back into the tomato-fest he and many of the fans wanted and expected from the onset. John Austin returns once more as Professor Mortimer Gangreen who is now working in disguise as a Talk Show host with the aim to brainwash viewers and to take over the world with his Killer Tomatoes. Only Police assistant Lance Boyle (Rick Rockwell) and Tomatologist Kennedy Johnson (Crystal Carson) can save the day, with a little help from series favourite FT (Fuzzy Tomato). The film parodies Lethal Weapon, Friday the 13th and features the greatest (my personal favourite at least) spoof of the infamous Psycho shower scene. The references to the two earlier films are a treat for the hard-core fans and overall it's a brilliant mix of silly and clever, and a beautiful ode to mad scientist/monster movies of the 1950s.