Puppet Master Axis Termination Blu Ray Review (Full Moon Features)

Puppet Master: Axis Termination is a 2017 horror film directed by Charles Band (Trancers 1/2, Doctor Mordrid, Head of the Family, Hideous!, & Blood Dolls). Axis Termination is the final installment in the new Puppet Master trilogy & a follow up to Band’s own 2012 Puppet Master X: Axis Rising. After 5 years of waiting the fans were ready for this closure. This film was the first in the series made via crowdfunding with Indiegogo. Full Moon Features raised $91,735 from the campaign. Charles Band teamed up with the El Rey Network for a contest where the winner would star & get killed by the puppets in the film. Torch was supposed to be in this film but got cut out before production started. It premiered in 3 separate episodes originally which were titled War Toys, TerrorKorps, & Blitzkrieg. It features a cameo from Puppet Master III: Toulon’s Revenge, Curse of the Puppet Master, Retro Puppet Master, & Puppet Master: Axis of Evil director David DeCoteau.

Axis Termination opens in Los Angeles 1942. Danny Coogan (played by Kip Canyon from Puppet Master X: Axis Rising) & Beth (played by: Jean Louise O’Sullivan from Puppet Master X: Axis Rising, Trophy Heads, & Dead Want Women) meet up with someone who claims they are Captain Brooks (played by: Paul Logan from Mega Piranha, The Horde, Halloween Pussy Trap Kill Kill, & Circus Kane) until the real one shows up right after everything. General Kip Hansard (played by: Allen Perada from Young Rebels, Body Snatchers, & Philadelphia Experiment II) sends Brooks on a mission with Dr. Ivan Ivanov (played by: George Appleby from Game of Thrones & Ravenwolf Towers). Doktor Gerde Ernst (played by: Tonya Kay from Raze, Death Factory, & The Amityville Terror) shows Sturmbahnfurher Krabke (played by: Kevin Scott Allen from Homefront & Unusual Suspects TV Series) some of her newest work. Her Axis puppets Bombshell, Weremacht, & Blitzkreig get some training to show off their skills.

Brooks meets his new team & finds out about their powers. Georgina Vale (played by: Alynxia America from White Crack Bastard & Lacee) deals with the occult, she’s a witch. Elisa Ivanov (played by: Tania Fox from Art of the Dead & Room 8) is psychic & her father Ivan can sense plus project feelings. They team with Blade, PinHead, Tunneler, Jester, Six Shooter & Leech Woman. They are not the only one with powers, Krabke & Gerde are also dangerous. Gerde’s assistant Oberheller Friede Steitze (played by: Lilou Vos from Daisy & Room 8) who has murderous fingers watches from the corner as he tortures someone. Gerde has Antoinette Longpre (played by: Daniele Romer from Foxtrap & Monaco Forever) uses her special abilities to track down the puppets. Elisa & others get kidnapped so it gets personal for the team. Both groups finally meet in different situations & it leads to a deadly confrontation.

DP Howard Wexler (Dreamaniac, Hard Ticket to Hawaii, Bloody Movie, Blood Nasty, Virgin High, & Angel 3) delivers a beautiful, colorful, & visual style that the Puppet Master series has never experienced. It reminded me of the look of an older Giallo from back in the day. Axis Termination is hands down the most violent & goriest entry in the entire franchise. I actually lost count how people got killed in this film. That’s always a good thing when it comes to the horror genre. This was definitely the best overall film from the recent Axis Trilogy. Charles Band finds new ways to entertain you with this 11th installment. I wonder what’s next for this crazy universe. I know at the same time this was being made the bigger budget Puppet Master: The Littlest Reich was also being produced.

Let’s talk about this high definition presentation & special features. This is probably the best looking Puppet Master film on blu ray so far. It’s very colorful & the visual style really stands out on this. It also sounds great, you get two different options which are 5.1 surround & 2.0 stereo. You get the almost 4 minute “Director’s Spotlight: Charles Band” which features behind the scenes footage of Band doing what what he does best. It also has a few comments with various cast members. “Monstercraft: Inside 1313 FX” is a 8 minute featurette showing you behind the camera what happens with the special effects on the set. “Actor’s Spotlight: Jean Louise O’Sullivan” is a 2 minute featurette on the returning actress from the previous Puppet Master movie. It shows her working on Axis Termination & it has a short discussion with her.

“On Set with the Indiegogo Contributors” is an almost 3 minute feature with fans that were involved with the film through Indiegogo. “Things Actors Say” is an almost 2 minute quick chat that includes various cast members that tell you why should watch this & what they enjoyed on it. You get the original trailer for Axis Termination. Last not least you get Full Moon Features trailers for Ravenwolf Towers, Killjoy Psycho Circus, 4 different Puppet Master movies, Head of the Family, & Specters. You need to complete your Puppet Master collection by adding this one to it. Horror fans will appreciate all the gore & kills in this sequel. Like I said before, visually it’s a pleasure to view. Full Moon Features keeps pushing the boundaries with independent films. It’s available everywhere right now, CHECK IT OUT!!!!