Movie Info
Movie Name: Puppet Master 4
Studio: Full Moon Entertainment
Genre(s): Horror/B-Movie
Release Date(s): November 24, 1993
MPAA Rating: R
Rick Myers (Gordon Currie) is a robot designer trying to take the next step in design. He’s uncovered something in the hotel where he is staying that could help him. Rick has found Toulon’s secret puppets and learns how they can create independently thinking creations. Unfortunately, Toulon’s secret was stolen and the demon Sutekh wants it back. Now, Rick and his research team are being hunted by demons and their only hope may be the puppets.
Directed by Jeff Burr, Puppet Master 4 is sometimes called Puppet Master 4: The Demon. The movie follows the 1991 World War II based Puppet Master III: Toulon’s Revenge, but is actually a sequel to Puppet Master II. The movie like all Full Moon films was released straight-to-video on November 24, 1993.
Full Moon films generally aren’t great, but they are plentiful. While the previous entry Puppet Master III: Toulon’s Revenge was one of the better Full Moon films, this film takes the story back to the dull storyline which made up the first two films.
The problem with Puppet Master I–IV is that none of the stories quite line up plotwise. It isn’t like The Evil Dead films where they are clever in their own right or intentionally not lining up correctly, it is almost like the writers just missed story aspects of the film that had come before.
The biggest problem with the movies is the characters. The first two movies had Toulon on the run from the Germans, but as kind of a mad villain. In the third movie, Toulon is good and the puppets are good. Here, the puppets are now good and Toulon is also good. In addition to this, the puppets don’t match up. An example is Six-Shooter who was introduced in Puppet Master III is now part of the puppets (but he didn’t exist in I or II). Also the whole plotline at the end of Puppet Master II has been dropped.
The acting for the movies is as expected quite poor and the visuals go along with the week visuals. Since the first movie, the visuals have actually improved and it seems to be a bit and the acting is marginally better…that doesn’t mean they are good, but they have improved a bit.
Puppet Master 4 ends rather opened ended. The mini-demons are killed, but the main demon is still alive. Opposed to the other Puppet Master films, Puppet Master IV is a direct lead in to Puppet Master 5 which marks the end of the first films arc. Puppet Master 4 was followed by Puppet Master 5: The Final Chapter in 1994.
Related Links:
Puppet Master III: Toulon’s Revenge (1991)
Puppet Master 5: The Final Chapter (1994)
Curse of the Puppet Master (1998)