Alien. Freddie Kreuger. The Terminator. Robocop. Frankenstien. Hollywood delights in such terrorisers and though every year coy hopefuls aim for the raw nerve most just hit the funny bone.
Such a failure is the ponderously named Oxcom, let loose to less than devastating effect in Watchers. The Outside Experimental Combat Mammal (for it is he), has escaped from a US genetic warfare lab. But can anyone take seriously a genetic disaster one step away from extinction- a hideous cross between an orang-utan and the Hunchback of Notre Dame?
Billed respectively by its pursuers who include yet another genetic experiment misfire baddie, Michael Ironside- as the perfect killing machine, our exotic hybrid goes on the rampage.
Then, with more than a pinch of Disney, a lovable mutt turns up. Hes the Oxcoms homing signal, trained to ingratiate himself with the target. The scene is thus set for a go-it-alone-kid-outdoes-The-Authorities-to-rid-us-of-World-Peril climax, saving his mom, his girl and his town in the process. But Watchers mix of goofiness and gore ends up wasting its promising theme of genetic meltdown.