Nomination Year: 1992

SYNOPSIS: A moon-mission returns to Earth with an unexpected passenger: a mechanical egg which quickly constructs itself into a killer robot. The robot is destroyed with difficulty, but not before it rampages through the NASA complex. Another manned lunar expedition is formed, headed by aging astronaut Jason (Walter Koenig, of STAR TREK), to determine the lunar origin of the menace. Once there, they find all sorts of alien technology, including an alien babe whom they free from suspended animation. When the mechanized monsters attack them on the moon, their ships are destroyed and all are killed except Jason and the space woman. The two of them are barely able to utilize the alien technology to return to Earth -- but both know that someday the robot eggs will rain down on the unsuspecting planet.

Smithee Award Nominations

Worst Cover Copy

Walter Koenig...of STAR TREK Every time the cover mentions Walter Koenig, it's followed by "of STAR TREK." Like an elbow in the ribcage, they seem to be saying: "Hey, look, you like STAR TREK, right? You'll like this! Really! It's got Walter Koenig...of STAR TREK!" In fact, the synopsis on the back cover doesn't come off as a plot summary of Moontrap so much as a mini-filmography of Walter Koenig...of STAR TREK. In case you haven't already guessed, each time a Smith-ka-teer mentions him, it's always: "Walter Koenig...of STAR TREK."

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"Let's Up The Rating To 'R'"

Gee, She Sure Doesn't Look Alien... With his entire team dead, Jason forlornly sets up his moon-tent (he pulls a string and it inflates, complete with airlock). He and the alien babe go inside and take off their spacesuits. He begins to wallow in self-pity, lamenting his age and the way the mission has been going. Though she doesn't speak a word of English, the alien seems to sense his distress and (one supposes) decides to cheer him up. She completely disrobes and they have hot alien sex on the moon. This all takes place minutes after his best friend Ray was killed by the machines, which could still be lurking anywhere. And I guess the issue of cross-species sexual compatibility was resolved pretty darn quickly, too.

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Worst Acting

This Doesn't Strike Me as a "Ha-Ha" Kind of Situation I don't know the conditions on the set the day they shot this scene, but throughout it, Walter Koenig (of STAR TREK) and Bruce Campbell both look like they can hardly keep a straight face. What ought to have been a poignant death scene turns laughable. Something like this: Ray (through grimaced teeth): "Ha ha ha! I'm gonna die on the moon!" Jason: "Haha! Screw you! No you're not! Ha ha!" [Ray dies, and Jason yells at his corpse for a bit.] Meanwhile, in the orbiting capsule above them, George -- the guy who's their ride home -- is having problems of his own. Some kind of lightning-weapon from the surface has shorted out all his systems. Unlike the two on the ground, this guy (Tom Case) displays no emotion at all -- not fear, not surprise, or, for that matter, even interest: "my god. i'm going down. (oh, well.)" BOOM! Bad Acting all around. At least the explosion made for a briefly cool light show.

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Directors

Director	Claim to Fame
Robert Dyke

Cast

Actor	Character	Claim to Fame
Walter Koenig	<Not Yet in Database>	"Mr. Chekov" of STAR TREK
Bruce Campbell	<Not Yet in Database>	Beloved by sci-fi/fantasy geeks everywhere, this strong-chinned guy was the star of Evil Dead and "Briscoe County, Jr.," among much else. Does a great many cameos, like in the Spider-Man movies.
Leigh Lombardi	<Not Yet in Database>
Robert Kurcz	<Not Yet in Database>
Tom Case	<Not Yet in Database>

© 1992-2025 Bryan D. Cassidy and Greg Pearson. All Rights Reserved.