Benjamin Maio Mackay
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