‘Attack of the Killer Tomatoes: Organic Intelligence’ Review — The Tomatoes Return, and This Time They’re Thinking for Themselves

No reason to hurl tomatoes at the screen. Attack of the Killer Tomatoes: Organic Intelligence shows signs of intelligent life and is ripe for the picking, in a franchise that’s been sequealized in film and spawned an animated show; at long last, the inevitable reboot. Aimed at fans of the franchise, this plays like a greatest hits, but a delicious send-up of the real world, while still delivering all the pomp and circumstance of killer tomatoes. And even for the uninitiated, there are enough laughs and diabolical plotting to make this more than an enjoyable romp.

In a world where AI and supercomputers pose increasing threats to humanity’s fate—fear not, there is something even more serious to contend with in the 21st century: artificial botanicals. What happens when the tomatoes can do more than attack? The next step on the vine is a superintelligent tomato. Oh, the horror! In a reboot of the franchise that pays loving tribute to its predecessors. The current crop features corporate prodigy Kate Patel (Samantha Bailey) and rogue tomatoes.

Genetically engineered vegetables seem to be the solution to humanity’s woes, thanks to Patel and the biotech-veggie conglomerate VegIntel. However, when the experiment goes awry, a new batch of tomatoes is set loose. The tomatoes reach a super-intelligence stage, and thus the vine gets faster and now has a plan of attack.

Wild and unpredictable, Attack of the Killer Tomatoes: Organic Intelligence is a timely send-up of the current challenge facing humanity: AI. The satirical pitch warns against AI, but the story doesn’t stop there. It also spoofs business moguls and the tech-bro industrial complex in a way that’s both hilarious and spot-on. Kate Patel is a spot-on send-up of Elizabeth Holmes and various other industry bigwigs who lend themselves to parody.

The film has genuine moments that will leave your mouth agape and, in the next breath, have you wheezing with laughter. It’s wacky and bizarre. Yet a glimmer of brilliance shines through such an outrageous exploit.

The ensemble cast is a riot, but the film primarily focuses on the antics of a core crew. John Astin returns as Professor Gangreen (in a unique way that fans of the animated show will appreciate), but the real focus is on the newcomers, which is, of course, the model for any good franchise reboot. Marina (Myrna Velasco), Chad (Zachary Roozen) and Angela (Noor Razzoky) become an unlikely trio, working to expose and hopefully stop this latest tomato uprising.

In a parody of the reboot trend, the movie frames the original tomato attacks as a governmental cover-up; from there, shenanigans follow. The new superintelligent breed of tomatoes thinks for itself and invades every aspect of everyday life.

Oh, yes, there is delightful winking at the camera and blatant fourth-wall breaking, but all in the service of the greater good. Comedy in any form is tricky to pull off, but add in a wild card element, like, well, killer tomatoes, and you could be in for a recipe of greasy paste rather than a delicious marinara sauce. Fortunately, it is the latter here, and the movie strikes a near-perfect balance between satirical comedy and absurdist chaos. Fans of similarly unhinged genre fare such as Killer Klowns from Outer Space should feel right at home.

These films are famous for their bizarre antics and low-budget effects. True to their legendary past, this reboot keeps the tradition alive and well. Schlocky, but never to the point of cringe or even outright tackiness. These films know exactly what they’re after when it comes to a delirious, delicious send-up. “I love the smell of ketchup in the morning.” John Milius would be so lucky to pen a line of that magnitude.

Now, I’m only half-serious, of course, but this movie is too. To call this absurd would be an understatement dripping with sarcasm. Fans of this franchise will marvel at this kitschy dish. Riper than ripe, the film tips its hat to the past while never swimming into too much nostalgia. Die-hard fans will eat this latest entry up, but for the uninitiated, it offers a smooth transition and a solid exposition setup that the ketchup will be quick.

If you have a soft spot for deliberately ridiculous horror-comedies such as Willy’s Wonderland, there is plenty here to appreciate.

Attack of the Killer Tomatoes: Organic Intelligence is bonkers in the best way. It weaves in a one-of-a-kind spoof while also being an absurd riot sure to leave a smile. Worst case, it’ll leave a ketchup stain.

Attack of the Killer Tomatoes: Organic Intelligence releases VOD October 6.