← All Movies

Screamers

In the year 2078, the planet Sirius 6B, once a thriving mining hub, has been reduced to a toxic wasteland by a war between the mining company the New Economic Block (N.E.B.) and "The Alliance", a group of former mining and science personnel. A fragile stalemate is in effect between the two exhausted, poorly-supplied, and undermanned armies. The vast empty areas between the two sides are patrolled by Autonomous Mobile Swords (AMS)— AI -powered robots developed by Alliance scientists. Nicknamed "Screamers" after their signature high-pitched noise, they target creatures with a heartbeat. Alliance soldiers wear "tabs" that disguise their heartbeats, rendering them invisible to the machines.

An N.E.B. soldier carrying a message to the Alliance compound is killed by screamers. The message guarantees safe passage through N.E.B. territory to discuss a truce. Alliance commanding officer Joe Hendricksson reports this development to his Earth-based superiors, but is told to disregard it as peace negotiations are already underway on Earth. Private "Ace" Jefferson, the only survivor of a crash of a transport newly arrived from Earth, rebuts this claim. Hendricksson is not surprised; he has long suspected that both sides have simply written off Sirius 6B and abandoned their armies.

Deciding the truce is their only chance of survival, Hendricksson, accompanied by Jefferson, sets out to meet the N.E.B. commander. While traveling through a ruined city they come upon David, a young boy clutching a teddy bear. Unwilling to abandon a defenseless civilian, they bring him along. The following night, they are attacked by a new "Type 1" screamer model immune to the tabs, alarming Hendricksson.

As the group nears the N.E.B. compound, two enemy soldiers, Becker and Ross, open fire on David, who explodes in a shower of bolts and gears. Alliance men are shocked to learn he was a "Type 3" screamer. Most of the N.E.B. contingent has been wiped out by another "David" screamer that a patrol unwittingly brought into the base. Becker, Ross, and a black marketeer named Jessica are the only survivors.

The group heads to the N.E.B. command center but finds it abandoned. Locating the mainframe computer, Hendricksson learns that the N.E.B. truce offer was just as false as the Alliance message from Earth. Hendricksson sees a "type 1" downloading information from the mainframe. He attempts to query the mainframe for "type 2" but approaching "Davids" force them to retreat. Back at the N.E.B. bunker, the knowledge of Screamers creating new versions that are indistinguishable from humans make everyone paranoid. Becker becomes convinced that Ross is a screamer and kills him, only to discover that he was human.

The four survivors retreat to the Alliance base, only to find that it has been taken over by "Davids". As dozens of "Davids" pour out of the bunker's entrance, Hendricksson wipes them out with a micro-nuclear missile. Jefferson rushes to help Becker, who was apparently injured in the blast. However, Becker revealed himself to be a "type 2" and kills Jefferson. After Hendricksson destroys Becker, only he and Jessica remain. Worrying that Jessica could be a screamer, Hendricksson cuts her hand and is relieved to see blood.

The pair locate an emergency escape shuttle, but discover it only seats one. Hendricksson offers the spot for Jessica but a second "Jessica" arrives, revealing she is another even more human-like model of screamer. Hendricksson resigns himself to death, but to his surprise, Jessica shields him, battles her lookalike, and is fatally wounded. The spacecraft's engines kick on and destroy the second "Jessica". With her last breath, the original Jessica confesses her love for Hendricksson, who departs for Earth with the teddy bear carried by the first "David".

As the screen fades to black, the bear slowly begins moving.