An action-packed slog

What a freaking movie. So many twists and turns. Absolutely intense from start to finish.

The performances transcend the film's tropes, grounding it in characters that feel more complete than this subgenre often produces.

Great movie. Not sure what people expected but I found it highly entertaining.

An early example of Italian sci-fi, Wild,Wild Planet could have been a lot more fun had the story dealt with less abstract issues. What ultimately prevents one from enjoying this film full-on is Tony Russell in the lead who just can't elevate his primitive character saddled with lousy dialogue above the average 'good guy action hero' level. Some awful costume design and occasionally too-predictable sound design don't help things, either. Massimo Serato acquits himself well as a mad scientist, too bad his character is absent throughout the middle section the film. Very nice to see Umberto Raho in a supporting role, not to mention the rising star Franco Nero. There are lots and lots of obvious yet still amazing miniature shots some of which are integrated into the rest of the footage with commendable ingenuity. Margheriti saves the pyrotechnics display for the grand finale.Watch Wild Wild Planet for the cinematography, sporadic and drawn-out fisticuffs and amusing futuristic designs. It's all a bit boring but worth a look for Margheriti enthusiasts.

My sister and I just caught this on AMC, of all channels, and laughed the entire way through it. I'm still not sure on the details of the plot, couldn't keep track of the characters because of the terrible characterization that focused very heavily on one trait and drove it into the ground (angry! drunk! hysterical!, et cetera), but it was extremely laughable. Definitely one for those of you who adore low-budget, nonsensical fare. The dialogue was extremely poor (this may have been a result of translation? The audio/visuals were unsynchronized throughout): there was a lot of emphasis at the wrong time, and there were some really out-there lines which came off as hilarious instead of meaningful or dramatic. Honestly, thinking about it, Wild, Wild Planet is probably no worse than any other sci-fi films/programs of its era, but if you're like me, you watch these kinds of films for a lark.

Wish I had been old enough to see this in Theaters during it's initial "Summer Of Love" release in America. The Italian movie industry has kind of a dicey history with Science Fiction films, (see "Star Pilot"/"2+5 Mission Hydra", or almost anything by "Al Bradley" for proof), but this is by the man who started cinematic SF in Italy, with "Assignment: Outer Space", and is one of his best SF films. It's actually the start of a series, known as the "Gamma IV Quartet", and is the best of the series. Mysterious dark strangers, (who look like they just stepped out of "Thin Air", the movie) are snatching healthy folks for unauthorized experiments by a renegade Doctor, in another attempt to create a super race. Initially concerned, space cop Mike Halstead gets down and dirty when his girl, Connie, is also snatched. Very colorful, with a a nearly psychedelic approach to some effects, which offsets some of the cheesier model work. Fun stuff, followed quickly by "War Of The Planets","Planet On The Prowl", and the amazing "Snow Devils". Franco Nero left for stardom (after he made it big with "Django"), and Giacomo Rossi Stuart shows up in his place. They all use some of the same footage, and "War Of The Planets" definitely needed more effects for the big conclusion, but this seems like more of a labor of love by longtime SF fan Antonio Margherhetti. He has made a few, and provided effects for many others, (Like "Mission Stardust", the Perry Rhodan adaptation), and he continues to this day. This is one of his, and Italys, best. Hey TCM, how about running that letterboxed copy again, please!

WARNING: THIS REVIEW CONTAINS SPOILERS. A beautiful woman and a bald guy wearing sunglasses and a black leather trenchcoat seem to make people disappear. But, no! They are actually shrinking people (somehow) into dolls! Why, is never really explained to any satisfaction. There are more subplots going on that have already been mentioned in other comments, so I won't repeat. This movie doesn't make much sense, but that's what works for it. It is basically non-stop weirdness, and I can't recommend it enough for pure mind boggling entertainment. Unfortunately, as of this date it is not available on vhs or dvd, which is a real tragedy. I taped it off TCM in widescreen. So, keep your eyes peeled for it. If you like whacked-out Italian sci fi like this, I'd also recommend you see WAR OF THE PLANETS, WAR OF THE ROBOTS, and STAR CRASH. But really, this one takes the cake!