How to Make a Monster  (2001)

Theatrical Release Information:
How to Make a Monster

Another made-for-cable horror story from the "Creature Features" series of in-name-only remakes of classic American International Pictures scare flicks, How to Make a Monster concerns a new video game, "Evil-ution," which is being designed by a top virtual reality firm headed by Faye Clayton (Colleen Camp). Clayton is determined "Evil-ution" will be the most terrifying video game ever, and so far her programmers are right on track, except for one thing -- the bad-guy character in the game looks simply ridiculous. Drummond (Steven Culp) is ordered to come up with a better monster for the game, so he adds Laura Wheeler (Clea Duvall), a promising new programmer, to the staff to work alongside veteran designers Bug (Jason Marsden), Hardcore (Tyler Mane), and Sol (Karim Prince). The foursome are given a special incentive program: whoever thinks up the right scary monster for the game will get a bonus of one million dollars. However, a power surge during a powerful lightning storm has an unexpected effect on the group's work and a motion-capture suit that was hooked into the computer network suddenly comes to life, becoming the dangerous and bloodthirsty monster the designers were trying to conjure. How to Make a Monster also features notorious scream queen Julie Strain in a cameo as herself. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide