I watched Ravager once when it came available on video. Didn't think too much of it, "kind of boring" I remember. But with this re-watch (now knowing not to expect an action filled sci-fi gorefest), I have to conclude it's actually not that bad. For one thing, the film keeps things consistent (in terms of characters & setting). The story is simple: a cargo craft with some civilians crashes on a deserted island. This island happens to be the storage place of nuclear waste material. While in search for precious raw materials to repair their ship, the crew members stumble upon classified canisters containing the "Ravager" bacteria. Of course, one of the things starts leaking and infects a crew member. Once infected, you become all rabid & blistery, gain great strength while somehow still retaining some form of intelligence. The film starts off fine, especially with presenting us some at least mildly interesting passengers (with a brief background), each having their own reason to be on this flight. But sadly, not all of those characters are developed very well (some of them are merely established and never developed at all). Bruce Payne & Yancy Butler are the capable leads in this flick (both their characters bringing their own history to the game). Juliet Landau's character (a clone) at times strikes a philosophical note similar to the way those replicants in "Blade Runner" did, so at least that was a nice touch. Sadly, somewhere around the mid-part, the film looses a lot of steam. Near the end, they pick things up again with a fight for survival between the remaining crew members and those infected. The CGI sfx of vehicles, space crafts & landscapes are amusing to watch. It all looks fake, obviously, but it also looks like it was the best they could do with their modest budgetary means. So no harm done and in the end "Ravager" turned out an okay way to pass 90 minutes.
