Hello again, fellow film travelers!
I loved the movies when Star Trek and the Terminator were set on modern day Earth, and after Alien: Resurrection I really wanted to see the Alien franchise set on Earth. But, it's bad.
One Hollywood rule explains this film. If one actor is bad, it's the actor's fault. If all the actors are bad, it's the director's fault.
Unfortunately, the film is riddled with unrealistic character moments that pop you out of the suspension of disbelief. It comes from all directions:
-- The editing. Characters get startled at the wrong instant. It's hard to follow the fight scenes.
-- The sound design, when we can hear the alien through a glass window, but the guy right next to the alien can't.
-- The dialogue. Being chased by a monster you don't need to say "We've got to go." A guy grabbed by a monster should be too shocked to say "Help me."
-- The writing. Person A sees Person B beat up (by humans) and in the next scene neither mentions it. No one is skeptical of monster sightings. The military's decisions are inexplicable. The surprise ending is telegraphed.
-- The blocking, when characters who should flee have to "stay on their mark".
-- The lighting. I turned my video player's brightness all the way up and it was still too dark. Even the daytime scenes are too dark.
-- The directing. This is just not a serious movie. It's a slasher film. It's not worthy of the franchise.
-- And finally the acting, as I have already noted. A notable exception was Chelah Horsdal (from The Man in the High Castle), who bridged the film's flaws with compelling terror.
You can see from my profile that I rarely give films low ratings, but this time, I have to, I'm sorry.
3 stars. Keep on traveling!
I loved the movies when Star Trek and the Terminator were set on modern day Earth, and after Alien: Resurrection I really wanted to see the Alien franchise set on Earth. But, it's bad.
One Hollywood rule explains this film. If one actor is bad, it's the actor's fault. If all the actors are bad, it's the director's fault.
Unfortunately, the film is riddled with unrealistic character moments that pop you out of the suspension of disbelief. It comes from all directions:
-- The editing. Characters get startled at the wrong instant. It's hard to follow the fight scenes.
-- The sound design, when we can hear the alien through a glass window, but the guy right next to the alien can't.
-- The dialogue. Being chased by a monster you don't need to say "We've got to go." A guy grabbed by a monster should be too shocked to say "Help me."
-- The writing. Person A sees Person B beat up (by humans) and in the next scene neither mentions it. No one is skeptical of monster sightings. The military's decisions are inexplicable. The surprise ending is telegraphed.
-- The blocking, when characters who should flee have to "stay on their mark".
-- The lighting. I turned my video player's brightness all the way up and it was still too dark. Even the daytime scenes are too dark.
-- The directing. This is just not a serious movie. It's a slasher film. It's not worthy of the franchise.
-- And finally the acting, as I have already noted. A notable exception was Chelah Horsdal (from The Man in the High Castle), who bridged the film's flaws with compelling terror.
You can see from my profile that I rarely give films low ratings, but this time, I have to, I'm sorry.
3 stars. Keep on traveling!