TAMMY AND THE T-REX (1994)
Tagline: He's The Coolest Pet In Town!
(Comedy, Sci-Fi, People’s Heads Are Getting Bitten Off) [PG-13]
Is that really you in there? Oh Michael, what have they done to you!
In this one, we meet a high school girl named Tammy who is in love with a guy named Michael. The problem is that Tammy’s ex-boyfriend Billy isn’t ready to let her go and has had a few run-ins with Michael. After Michael ends up in a coma due to Billy’s revenge, an evil scientist exploits the opportunity to use Michael’s brain to bring his animatronic Tyrannosaurus Rex to life. Yep. That’s the plot.
I have written a ton of reviews on 1950s sci-fi flicks and even though this script was hastily written just due to the fact that they had an animatronic dinosaur to use for a movie, this entire endeavor feels a lot like something we would have gotten in a 50’s horror flick. The amount of gore lends itself more to the horror genre, but the comedic element and the fact that none of this is remotely serious at all is why it’s considered a comedy. We also have a mad doctor doing a brain transplant that lands this squarely in the sci-fi zone as well.
For fans of Denise Richards (STARSHIP TROOPERS), this has to be a near “must-see” film. This was just before she started showing up in major films and she is the main focus of the film as Tammy, outside of the dinosaur. We also have a young Paul Walker before his SHE’S ALL THAT days, but well after his MONSTER IN THE CLOSET days. I think he is pretty good in this, but given what the plot tells us, his role as Michael is short-lived. It’s also worth noting that Richards was 23 and Walker was 21 when this was filmed and they were both actually dating which explains some of the on-screen chemistry. The ever-annoying Terry Kiser makes an appearance as Dr. Wachenstein and kills the role for what they were asking him to do. If you don’t recognize the name, Terry Kiser is most famous for his role as Dr. Crews in FRIDAY THE 13TH PART VII: THE NEW BLOOD. He does use a fake accent which can be grading at times. We also get a heavy dose of Theo Forsett who plays Byron. Theo does well in this role but didn’t act in anything again till 25 years later in the TV show “The Rookie”.
To be honest, I was alive and coherent in the ’90s and I do not recall even hearing about this movie till the pandemic of 2020 meant that many of our governors were subjecting us to lockdowns where the only entertainment was to be found on the dark corners of the cheapest streaming services we would find. It was during those days that I discovered this movie existed, but never watched it till last night Peacock’s streaming service. This has all the camp you would expect with the gore level of something like COCAINE BEAR. Now, it is cheesy practical effects gore, but it’s still pretty gory. I almost wish I had watched the tamer version. Anyway, the acting really works all around for what this is and overall this animatronic dinosaur is pretty fantastic. I read it might have gone to an amusement park in Texas, but that is only a rumor, I haven’t been able to verify it.
As much as the 80s were loaded with crazy cinematic ideas, the 90’s also had no shortage of full-blown swings for the fences that were just nutty crazy trash that still managed to have entertainment value for some and this is one of those flicks. This won’t be for everyone and, to be honest, I think I would prefer the less gory version, but overall this is almost a must-see film for b-movie fans and again, anyone that is really into Denise Richards.
I give it a 4 out of 7. I don’t really see myself watching the gore version again. There is no nudity, but there is quite a bit of gore, so this isn’t for kids. As far as b-movies go though, this one is way up there as far as balls-to-the-wall nonsense.
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