Life - 3 Stars

A really fun, mindless sci-fi film.

A team of scientists aboard the International Space Station discover a rapidly evolving life form, that caused extinction on Mars, and now threatens the crew and all life on Earth.

This is a film that relies heavily on the influence of Alien and many of the 1930s monster movies. It is a really fun ride, with amazing CGI, solid performances and a few unique twists. The choice to set the entire film in a zero gravity climate was an interesting choice, for both actors and cinematographers. I enjoyed this aspect and found it gave some of the more conventional alien chase scenes new dynamics.

The alien, “Calvin” is a phenomenal work of digital imagery. The way it moves, grows and adapts is superb. The eye-line from the actors to the monster is so close to perfect, there’s only one scene in the whole film where an actor isn’t looking directly at it.

Overall it’s a fun, frivolous, sci-fi film with a few new tactics, but it mainly borrows from its predecessors.

3 Stars

Review by Benjamin Maio Mackay

Screening courtesy of Sony Pictures