Return of the Killer Tomatoes!
A wildly self-aware sci-fi horror spoof pits a pizza delivery man against a mad professor’s human-shaped tomato uprising.
Ember's analysis
- Pacing
- Brisk
- Intensity
- Moderate
- Complexity
- Easy to follow
- Violence
- Mild
- irreverent
- manic
- zany
- cult movie night
- late night viewing
What critics said
Critics initially dismissed the film as an unnecessary sequel, while later retrospective reviews praised its manic, hyper-meta humor and dense stream of gags.
What sets it apart
May contain story progression spoilers
The film repeatedly foregrounds filmmaking conventions and aggressively dismantles the fourth wall.
Retrospective criticism emphasizes the constant stream of one-liners, sight gags, and jokes that reward repeat viewing.
The mad-scientist uprising, human-form tomatoes, and world-domination plot are used to mock horror and science-fiction formulas.
Retrospective reviews specifically connect its humor and rewatchability to the VHS era.
Films like Return of the Killer Tomatoes!, and why
Airplane!
irreverent parody, rapid-fire sight gags, and deliberately silly genre conventions
The Naked Gun
hyper-meta comedy, fourth-wall disruption, and gleeful genre spoofing
Spaceballs
Mel Brooks-style parody, absurdist humor, and comic treatment of science fiction tropes
Blazing Saddles
self-referential filmmaking jokes, exaggerated performances, and manic ensemble comedy
Movie Details
- Director
- John De Bello
- Release Date
- 1988-04-22
- Runtime
- 98 min
- Rating
- 5.6 / 10 (256)
Cast
- Anthony Starke
- George Clooney
- Karen M. Waldron
- John Astin
- Steve Lundquist
- Michael Villani
- J. Stephen Peace
- Frank Davis
- Harvey Weber
- John De Bello
Where to watch in United States
- Streaming
- Amazon Prime Video, Amazon Prime Video with Ads, ARROW
- Rent
- Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home
- Buy
- Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home
Streaming options come from TMDB and change over time.
Common questions
- What is Return of the Killer Tomatoes! about?
- A wildly self-aware sci-fi horror spoof pits a pizza delivery man against a mad professor’s human-shaped tomato uprising.
- What is Return of the Killer Tomatoes! like to watch?
- Ember's analysis rates the pacing of Return of the Killer Tomatoes! as brisk, its intensity as moderate and its storytelling as easy to follow.
- Is Return of the Killer Tomatoes! violent?
- Only mildly. Ember rates the violence in Return of the Killer Tomatoes! as mild.
- What did critics think of Return of the Killer Tomatoes!?
- Critics initially dismissed the film as an unnecessary sequel, while later retrospective reviews praised its manic, hyper-meta humor and dense stream of gags.
- Which films are like Return of the Killer Tomatoes!?
- Films with a similar feel include Airplane!, The Naked Gun, Spaceballs, and Blazing Saddles.
- How long is Return of the Killer Tomatoes!?
- Return of the Killer Tomatoes! runs 98 minutes.
- Where can I watch Return of the Killer Tomatoes!?
- In United States, Return of the Killer Tomatoes! streams on Amazon Prime Video, Amazon Prime Video with Ads, ARROW.
Browse Ember's collections
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- The Return of Swamp Thing1989
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