As far as killer robot stories go, this one isn't bad. It's not up there with the classics of the genre - films such as THE TERMINATOR, WESTWORLD, and 2001: A SPACE ODYSSEY, but there are some genuinely spooky atmospherics as Douglas and Fawcett are chased around some dingy corridors by a psychotic robot. Although the set design and action seems to have been partially lifted from the previous year's popular ALIEN, this film still has enough different slants to keep you watching.For a start, there are only three main actors in this film (apart from a supposed blink-and-you-miss-it cameo from Ed Bishop) so they have a lot of work to do between them. This isn't helped by having some major miscasting - namely the role of the film's masculine hero, Adam, being played by a far-too-old Kirk Douglas. We're supposed to imagine that old-man Douglas is capable of strenuous physical activities and getting his head smashed in to little effect. The film really needed an actor twenty years younger to fill the part. Douglas also feels a little too over-qualified for a simplistic thriller like this, as both he and Fawcett have little to do apart from fighting the unstoppable robot.Fawcett herself is little better. I'm sure she's a good actress and all, but she never becomes more than two-dimensional here. The camera enjoys lingering on her naked and scantily-clothed body (and, more disturbingly, Douglas' too) so perhaps that's the reason for her casting. Thankfully, at least there is one effective actor on screen, a young, menacing Harvey Keitel as a murderer who eventually falls foul of his own creation. The film kicks off with Keitel murdering the real captain and taking his place (sucking him through an airlock and blowing him apart outside, quite literally), then travelling to one of Saturn's moons where Douglas and Fawcett reside. We never do learn of his past, or his motives, and this makes his character even more mysterious. Despite Keitel simply doing his patented twitchy routine, he's still very effective and a little frightening.The killer android itself is a mixed bag. For a start, it's a good head taller than the other actors, to allow for an operator to fit inside, of course. It certainly looks good on the outside, a mixture of hydraulics, crushing pincers, and some cute little lights for a head. On the downside, it's not exactly a difficult foe to foil, seeing as it gets repeatedly pushed into pits of water, electrocuted, and disassembled during this film's length. There are some brief gory bits to add to the horror, including a decapitated dog and the robot "wearing" the battered head of Keitel, as well as cutting Keitel's hand off, but I would much rather face this slow-moving enemy than an alien or a velociraptor, for example.I did like the ending, which is kind of clichéd but has a good bit where Douglas realises he has been partially assimilated by the robot when he discovers a hole in the back of his neck. The final destruction of the android is a huge explosion, shot by apparently throwing buckets of water about along with some body parts, and it's very arty. Please don't ask me to explain the epilogue, which shows Fawcett watching a spaceship return to Earth, as I have no idea of it's relevance. This isn't a brilliant film, but it passes the time nicely.

The aging Major Adam (an able and robust performance by Kirk Douglas) and his much younger distaff partner Alex (sweetly played with charming naiveté by Farrah Fawcett) are stationed on a lone station located on one of Saturn's moons where they are working on ways to grow food for the starving masses back on Earth. Their idyllic existence gets ripped asunder by the intrusive presence of the depraved and unhinged Captain Benson (Harvey Keitel in fine menacing form) and his equally dangerous robot helper Hector.Director Stanley Donen offers a chilling vision of a cold, grim, and hedonistic future, relates the dark and compelling story at a steady pace, and generates some real nerve-wracking tension in the harrowing last third. The intelligent script by Martin Amis addresses such pertinent issues as overpopulation, depletion of precious resources, invasion of privacy, and the dehumanizing impact of advanced technology on mankind's soul in a thoughtful and provocative manner. Moreover, this film makes a valid point that technology is only as good or bad as the purpose it's put to use for. The lavish set design and snazzy special effects are pretty impressive (the towering Hector in particular comes across as genuinely imposing and frightening). The fact that Keitel's trademark New York accent was dubbed by Roy Dotrice with a more "continental" voice adds to the character of Benson's overall creepiness. Elmer Bernstein's spare pulsating score hits the moody spot. The glossy cinematography by Billy Williams provides a pleasing polished look. A neat and unjustly maligned movie.

In the future, Earth is overcrowded and the population relies on distant bases to be fed. In the Saturn 3 station, Major Adam (Kirk Douglas) and the scientist Alex (Farrah Fawcett), who is also his lover and has never been on Earth, have been researching hydroponics for three years in the base alone with their dog Sally. Meanwhile, the psychotic Captain Benson (Harvey Keitel) fails the mental test required to travel to Saturn 3 and kills his replacement, Captain James, taking his place in the mission of assembling and programming the Demi-God series robot Hector to replace one of the scientists in Saturn 3. On the arrival, the mentally disturbed Captain Benson becomes sexually obsessed for Alex. Then he uses an interface to link his brain to program Hector, but incapable to control his emotions, he transfers his homicidal tendency and insanity to Hector. Now Major Adam and Alex are trapped in the station with a dangerous psychopath robot."Saturn 3" is an underrated sci-fi cult from the 80's with a dark story that has not aged. The plot is very simple but creepy and the cast is very well selected: Kirk Douglas very mature but still handsome, convincing that Major Adam is capable to seduce Alex. The underrated actress Farrah Fawcett in the top of her beauty and showing parts of her body, seducing not only the psychopath Captain Benson but ( I believe) most of the male viewers. And Harvey Keitel is perfect as a mentally unstable man with sex drive on Alex. The non-commercial conclusion is also excellent and perfect for the story. My vote is seven.Title (Brazil): "Missão Saturno 3" ("Mission Saturn 3")

I have this film on VHS, bought it so cheap through Amazon, and I am such a sucker for sci-fi movies. I watched this movie last night and thought it was OK. I remember seeing this when I was only 10, on TV and thought it was really cool; but it was on TV and I was so young. It's one of those sci-fi pictures U would find on Mystery Science Theater late at night, but I never considered it awful. Yes, the special effects are lacking and some of the scenes U can tell are filmed in miniature. It's a B sci-fi movie but it's not bad, considering most of the cast just consist of 3 main characters and a robot. The plot is a basic one, a not so stable astronaut, kills one who is going to Saturn 3. He takes his place and the terror is about to begin. Once there you can tell Capt. James is a few shy of a six pack when he meets Adam and Alex. The 2 scientists who reside there and who are conducting new ways of food production for Earth from Saturn 3, an outpost hydroponic food production . Once settles in Capt. James begins to build a robot, named Hector, a new model the company is starting to use. Once complete, he shows off his creation to Adam and Alex. Capt. The robot is creepy enough; but what's creepier his his direct input to the robot, by taking information from his brain into Hector's. Hector eventually turns on Capt. James and eventually comes after Adam and Alex. It's up to Alex and Adam to stop this robot from hell and try to escape with their lives. This movie is far from Star Wars, but give it a try.THX, -Kris L. CocKayne-