Genre: Horror / Sci‑Fi Thriller
Director: Joe Gayton
Writer/Producer: Jonathan Craven (story by Wes Craven)
Cast: Lance Henriksen, Giovanni Ribisi, Natasha Wagner
Runtime: ~108 min
Originally conceived as a third entry in Wes Craven’s The Hills Have Eyes series, the project later pivoted to become a standalone film titled The Outpost, ultimately released as Mind Ripper. Still, many markets branded it as The Hills Have Eyes III
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Strong Cast Appeal: Lance Henriksen and emerging actor Giovanni Ribisi bring professionalism and gravitas to a B‑movie premise
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90s Creature‑Feature Vibes: The mutant bungled-through underground bunker and creature effects offer nostalgic charm for fans of low‑budget sci‑fi horror
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Loose Franchise Link: Lacks true connection to the original Hills Have Eyes—no characters, setting, or storylines tie into the Craven films beyond desert locale and mutant threat
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Generic Plot & Creature Design: Critics and fans describe the monster as “some buff dude with long hair and yellow eyes,” and the plot follows predictable “science experiment gone wrong” tropes
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Uneven Execution: IMDb consensus and reviewers like on Letterboxd note it’s a low-rent entry—“utter shit” to some, “charming in a 90s Aliens rip‑off way” to others
While fan and trade rumors suggest a full-budget reboot slated for 2024—with a $140 million budget and terrifying new mutants—the project remains unofficial and without credible confirmation .
Mind Ripper (aka The Hills Have Eyes III) is a quirky, nostalgic footnote to the Craven series. It lacks the brutal charm and moral edge of its predecessors, but it delivers some B‑movie nostalgia—notably, sporadic gore and campy bunker terror. Only the most devoted fans of cheesy 90s creature features might find it a guilty pleasure.
As for a true, canonical The Hills Have Eyes 3—official revival is still unconfirmed, and until a full sequel materializes, this remains the series’ oblique, unofficial “third entry.”
Rating for Mind Ripper: ⭐️⭐️ (2/5) — Worth a watch only for die‑hard horror completists.
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Viewers curious about the lesser-known corners of Craven’s filmography
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Fans of cult 90s sci‑fi–horror
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Those intrigued by franchise oddities and rebranding strategies
If you’d like a deeper dive into how Mind Ripper compares to the original films—or a speculative take on a real reboot—just let me know!
