Forbidden World aka Mutant (1982) Review

On the research station lab on the planet of Xarbia a flesh-eating mutant is loose that feeds on the dwindling scientific group who created it.

With the same vibe as Galaxy of Terror (1981), Roger Corman's Forbidden World a.k.a Mutant is an excuse for director Allan Holzman to put some cheap icky specimen effects, jumpsuits and scantily clad actresses on screen. It also comes complete with some disco/electronica music from Susan Justin and a little robot called SAM104 who looks as if he should be in sci-fi films Silent Running or Saturn 3.

June Chadwick's blonde Barb bloody life form encounter scene is short but impressive. Jim Wynorski fingerprints are all over this, Brunette Dawn Dunlap lights up the screen screaming with unnecessary skimpy outfits throughout taking off her clothes whenever the script calls for it. Hammy Fox Harris doctor is entertaining enough, reminiscent of, but predating Brad Dourif's Alien Resurrection performance. There's also an interesting desert scene which echoes an episode of Star Trek in terms of style and execution. Also this pre-dates Prometheus by decades which ironically appears to borrow from Forbidden World’s opening with it’s classical music and David waking the crew, echoing Sam104's introduction.

Forbidden World is as clunky as some of 'Subject 20' effects, editing and dialogue. To its credit and inconsistency aside many scenes are well lighted and a handful of the practical special effects including the cocoon and kills are not too shabby. It's common knowledge that some sets and footage is recycled from other Corman productions, including Battle Beyond the Stars and Galaxy of Terror but it's all seamless unless your already privileged to the knowledge as it fittingly looks as if it belongs to this low budget production.

Overall, it's energetic and amusingly gruesome even if at times for all the wrong reasons.