Science Fiction & Fantasy Reviews (Page 3)

Weyland Industries picks up a heat signature in an uninhabited sector of Antarctica at the location of an abandoned Whaling Station. A team of experts is assembled and dispatched to investigate. Weyland himself (Lance Henriksen) explains to them that an ancient temple, perhaps the earliest sign of civilised life on earth, has been detected far beneath the ice. A thermally cut pipe already leads down to the temple, technologically far in advance of man. But the experts aren't the only ones interested in the ancient construction. A spacecraft arrives and dispatches three hunter predators. The human presence in the temple activates a dormant alien queen, and quite suddenly the team is caught in the middle of an alien versus predator fight which has raged for thousands of years...

Alien Vs. Predator has been on the cards for some years now. The moment 20th Century Fox realised they had possession of two successful and eminently workable franchises it was only a matter of time and the right script before the two came together to wage on-screen war. Dark Horse ran a highly popular comics series which ultimately kept the concept in the public mind. This is primarily Paul Anderson's baby, which he nursed for some time before it finally came of age [in fact reviewgraveyard.com were the first to break the news that Anderson had secured the directors chair on this movie], apparently impressing the film company with the vitality of the script. He also directed the piece, and I must say, although certain parties have seen fit to criticise the finished product, I personally think he put out a very enjoyable film. It's necessary to make that clear now, because you could quite easily systematically pull AVP apart.

Firstly, it borrows from plenty of other film sources. Okay, so no idea is totally original, but if you ignore the many peripheral connections, here we are still left with major elements of Cube (the reconfiguring rooms), Tomb Raider (the interior settings and action sequences), and The Thing (exterior settings and notions). Secondly, if the predators were only interested in humans as cattle-like hosts for the ultimate prey, then it's pretty unlikely one of them would arm and team-up with one, even if she did save its life. If the temple is a trap for the human team, how are so many aliens activated when there is only a handful of humans to act as potential hosts, and why do only three predators arrive to sort out the mess?

Then there are the more simple mistakes. Why does the Alexa Woods character not freeze to death on the surface whilst fighting the alien queen? It seems to be forgotten that this is Antarctica and she is in a T-shirt! The exertion would only cause her to lose valuable body heat more quickly. Also, why isn't the predator craft detected by satellite? The predator multi-readout vision allows them to see an alien gestating in a host; so why did the other predators not see the one in their own colleague? And what is the explanation for the alien/predator crossbreed? Had the predators been playing with genetics, or the two species doing the squelchy together?

As a naturally inquisitive person all of these thoughts were running through my head. However, I also like to immerse myself in a film I'm watching, and I can tell you even bearing all of the above in mind, I didn't let it spoil my enjoyment. It even creates a back story scenario explaining the connections between the two races.

The first disc in this two-dvd presentation contains a normal and extended version of the film, a commentary by Lance Henriksen and Sanaa Lathan, a second commentary by Alec Gillis, Tom Woodruff Jr. and John Bruno, and Inside Look (trailers for other Fox films, including Hide and Seek, Elektra, and Robots).

Disc two features: Pre-production (a long and interesting documentary), Production (another documentary), Post Production (Visual Effects Breakdown, and 11 deleted scenes with optional commentary), Licensing the Product (The comic book, and Monsters in Miniature by Todd McFarlane, an entertaining overview of the Spawn.Com company), and Marketing (HBO Special, teaser and trailer). So plenty for your hard-earned groats.

Whilst never even likely to aspire to the heights of Alien and Aliens, AVP is considerably better than the abysmal Alien 3 and more exciting than Alien Resurrection. Buy it. 

(Review originally written by Ty Power for sci-fi-online 2005)

Commander Lochley, who was the first officer which replaced Ivanova around eleven

years before in this timeline, is faced with a Babylon 5 worker who seems to be possessed by a demon - or maybe the Devil himself. A priest is caught in a dilemma of whether or not to perform an exorcism, as the incarcerated man debates theology with them. But Lochley

discovers the demon is tied to the Earth and, in an attempt to escape, is trying to trick the priest into performing an exorcism in space...

Technomage Galen appears to President Sheridan as he travels to Babylon 5 for the tenth anniversary celebrations of the Interstellar Alliance. He shows Sheridan the destruction of New York and says that in 30 years Prince Ventari of the Centauri Republic will destroy the Earth in his quest to return his race to their former glory. This can only be prevented by Sheridan killing Ventari.

Having decided the time was right for more Babylon 5, and to cater to a fanbase crying out for more, after the hugely lucrative DVD box set sales of seasons one to five, Warner approached writer, creator and visionary J. Michael Straczynski with the idea of perhaps making a feature film version. JMS reportedly told them he couldn't imagine a movie without G'Kar (Andreas Katsulas) and Dr Stephen Franklin (Richard Biggs) - both of whom have died since the series ended - and instead proposed a number of short, straight to DVD stories concentrating separately on major characters from the series.

The first of The Lost Tales consists of two stories loosely connected to form the TV movie Voices in the Dark (a typically poetic JMS title). The Lochley (Tracy Scoggins) tale is lacklustre at best, and would barely have passed as a stand alone episode in the old first season. Aside from Lochley, who hasn't got the presence of Ivanova as first officer in the series, the priest is convincing, but the whole fails to carry as a story in its own right. The second tale is much better. Bruce Boxleitner slips easily back into his role of Sheridan like he's never been away, and Peter Woodward, briefly in Babylon 5 and a main character in the spin-off series Crusade, is engaging as the sometimes dangerous, sometimes humorous technomage Galen. Of course, this dramatic plot dilemma has been played-out several times previously, but it is well-handled here.

The potential continuity problem of the Babylon 5 station exploding at the conclusion of the five-year story arc is overcome here by rolling back time a few years, setting these tales before that momentous event. Credit should be given to returning music composer Christopher Franke, who creates effective fresh dramatic enhancement rather than relying on any of his major themes from the series. The visual effects are utilised to their best order within the obvious confines of the budget (exterior views of the station appearing somewhat darker and more sinister), but haven't the same impact as the groundbreaking CGI seen on the series. Having recently re-watched all of Season One, the old effects hold up remarkably well considering we are now more than ten years down the line. The dialogue, as you would expect from JMS, is one of this release's strong points, with lines like "I've never known hope when it wasn't on a diet," from Sheridan.

On the menus we are given the option of watching Voices in the Dark as a TV movie, or selecting one or the other of the two half-hour segments. Extras include: Fireside Chats (18 minutes of questions posed by fans which are answered by JMS); The Straczynski Diaries (21 minutes of production information and nonsense about glove puppets); Memorials (JMS and cast talk about Andreas Katsulas who played G'Kar, one of the best characters from the series, and Richard Biggs who played Dr Stephen Franklin). Some interesting snippets of information can be collected here, such as the fact JMS would watch his main actors off-set and then incorporate the witnessed traits into their characters. JMS also mentions what I remember as being one of the strongest scenes in the entire Babylon 5 series. Londo is trapped in a broken-down lift with G'Kar. G'Kar is happy to die because his sworn enemy will die too. Andreas Katsulas introduced the madness of laughter into the scene, which JMS okayed because it made the moment so powerful.

I could probably talk all day about Babylon 5; it was after all one of the greatest TV serials of all time. However, The Lost Tales is quite obviously a nostalgia trip for established fans, of which I'm certain there are plenty. This feels like Babylon 5 but is missing the interaction of its loved characters. It's rather like saying this is a good stew because there are potatoes - even though there's nothing to go with them. There should be more of these releases to come, whereas I would personally prefer one release with as many of the ensemble that can be collected together.

(Review originally written by Ty Power for sci-fi-online 2007) 

In a Cambridge University laboratory a very unusual science experiment is underway. A virtual reality suit is linked to a super computer, but the project goes seriously awry when, unbeknown to his colleagues, occultist Victor Neumann uploads the works and black magic ceremonies of the notorious Aleister Crowley in binary form. After donning the suit, Classics lecturer Dr. Haddo turns from a self-conscious stutterer to a self-assured, even arrogant and conceited verbal and physical aggressor. Having shocked his students and outraged the faculty, Haddo sets out to repeat and progress Crowley's so-called 'sex magic' using depraved acts and hallucinogenic drugs - to the point where he actually believes himself to be a reincarnation of 'the  wickedest man in the world', the universally condemned Beast. But when Haddo displays more knowledge of Crowley than even a madman scholar would, his former colleagues are forced to find a way to reverse the process...

Chemical Wedding is co-scripted by Iron Maiden front man, Bruce Dickinson, based on his solo CD of the same name. Not only have I been a more than avid follower of Maiden since their self-titled debut album in 1980 (yes, I am that old, though I remain young at heart!), but I also know, as do many others, that Dickinson is multi-talented: he is a singer/songwriter at the top of his profession, a jumbo-class airline pilot, a novelist, a BBC radio DJ, and a former national-level fencing coach. With all this in mind, the question is can he add screenplay writer to his résumé. The answer is yes... sort of.

The  slightly non-linear, loop structure to this film will undoubtedly confuse many mainstream viewers, who might prefer your standard beginning, middle and end whiz bang Hollywood blockbuster. Personally, I can appreciate the attempt to achieve something a little different. This movie explores such topics as quantum physics, time theory, alternative universes, and of course the occult - so the closest connection it might have to another film is something like Donnie Darko or Primer.

Although I would describe Chemical Wedding as thought-provoking, it's far from being staid. The dark humour isn't prominent, as some media quotes seem to suggest, rather it is dropped in subtly in various places, particularly in some of the ceremonies and latter dialogue. In the same way that Westworld is a good film made a hundred times better by the excellent performance of Yul Brynner, the same can be said for Simon Callow here. The larger-than-life presence of the well-known thespian means that he dominates every scene in which he appears. Callow's acting is fabulous, especially considering some of the questionable actions and lines he has to contend with.

Okay, so this isn't a film that's going to be remembered in ten years time, but it is valiant attempt to do something out of the ordinary. Extras include a Making of... documentary; Deleted Scenes; a Trailer; and a Commentary by director Julian Doyle, co-writer Bruce Dickinson and producer Ben Timlett. And watch out for a couple of cameo appearances by the Bruce-meister himself.

(Review originally written by Ty Power for sci-fi-online 2008)

I have mixed feelings about this story, and the down side is almost totally down to the length. Six parts is an obvious exaggerated format for Frontier in Space which, unlike Jon Pertwee's premiere season, fails to be enhanced by significant character progression. It would have been much better served - certainly made tighter - as a four-parter.

The model shots are at best below average, with the spacecraft of one docking sequence quivering like a jelly on a plate, before locking on. The third Doctor's two space walks - one to conduct necessary external repairs, the other to reach the control room without passing the Master - are rather nonsensical, especially as he attaches no secure lines to the ship which is in both cases in flight. The wires used to make it appear he is floating, along with the orange suit, cause the Doctor to resemble an ageing Captain Scarlet!

Almost everything else I have to say is complimentary. These minor quibbles should be overlooked in favour of what is a very strong and extraordinary story. Writer, Malcolm Hulke was a great visionary in regards to investigating many aspects of human nature, in certain trying situations. Here he had a future treaty between Earth and Draconia saboutaged by a third party. Cargo ships from both sides are being raided, and each is recognising the perpetrator as the other party. However, the raids are being conducted by the Ogrons - last seen serving the Daleks - using a sonic hypnotic device (hypno-sound) which stimulates the fear centres of the brain, causing the victim to see what he most fears. The Doctor's theory is justified when Jo Grant sees a Drashig from Carnival of Monsters.

Without the cameras venturing into the general populace, the viewer in convinced of the brink of disaster situation by tele-newscasts received in the female Earth President's office, reporting widespread rioting and calls for all out war. General Williams, her aid, initially hovers close to insubordination with constant pressure for retaliation. Similar scenes are witnessed in the Draconian nobles court. We are also reminded of a future political society with population problems with the broadcast: "As an inducement for couples willing to live in the first two totally enclosed dome cities ..., family allowance will be increased to two children ..."

The length is used to a couple of good purposes. It incorporates several locations to inhibit lazy eye syndrome: the cargo ship, Earth, the Luna Penal Colony, Draconia, the Master's ship and the Ogron homeworld (Planet Quarry, I should think). Then there is the uncovering of consistently devious plot twists. The tentative alliance is utilised as the main stay, with the perpetrators being peeled away to eventually reveal the source. First there are the Draconians, then the strong but primitive Ogrons, and then the Master himself. What can you say about the late Roger Delgado's portrayal except chilling! By his very presence in a scene he continues to make nape hairs bristle everywhere. Sadly, this was his final performance for the programme.

There are a couple of nice lighthearted moments. When discussing their situation with the Doctor in a detention cell, Jo states, "All we've got to do is find out what's going on, who's behind the Ogrons, where they've taken the TARDIS, go and get it back, and then we can all go home. I don't know what I've been worrying about!" When the Earth battle cruiser announces that it will lock on in five seconds, the Doctor examines his watch. At least, I sincerely hope that was meant as a joke!

Jon Pertwee himself would undoubtedly endorse this release. He often praised the manoeuvrability of the Draconian half-masks, which admittedly are rather effective. The concrete walkways of the Southbank play host to some short games of cowboys and Indians between Draconians, Ogrons and Earth guards.

I do feel the notion of Ogrons worshiping a seldom seen native creature on their home world a valid one which was only touched upon rather than exploited to its full potential. Unfortunately, its nature and purpose isn't elaborated upon. Why exactly do the Ogrons pay homage to a huge blob?

The Daleks' appearance at the conclusion of the final episode will undoubtedly please casual viewers, but for me they only succeed in demeaning the entire plot at its climax. The Master, easily commanding his scenes, finishes up playing second fiddle to the unconvincing malevolence of the Daleks. Although he underhandedly insults the "tin pots", he concludes by pleading for Earth to rule over. The Daleks' introduction serves better as a simple link to the following story, Planet of the Daleks.

(Review originally written by Ty Power for DreamWatch Magazine 1995)

A man wakes  up in a cavern deep below the ground. Naked, he possesses no knowledge of his identity or location. The dead body next to him seems almost incidental to his concerns. Progressively climbing, he comes across different levels with evidence of technology. It is the remnants of a research facility. The mysterious organisation appears to be known as Eden Log. As his memory slowly returns, the man will learn he has an inextricable link with the place. The answer apparently lies on the surface, but he will need to avoid capture by people who want him stopped at all costs...

Although the mood lighting is very dark, and the plot pacing at times excruciatingly slow, Eden Log is nevertheless simultaneously curiously compelling. Much of the running time consists of Tolbiac crawling over or climbing rocks, and examining wire conduits, trunking, wire fencing and the occasional video sequence welcoming people to the complex.

It's not until halfway through that we learn the KC is the subject of an intensive search to prevent him reaching the surface and a secret to be protected. A researcher, wild roaming mutants, and a female who appears to know something about his identity and purpose are additional components in a film which asks more questions than it ever answers - right up to and including the conclusion.

The mutants themselves are intelligently filmed in quick, fleeting movements, and the sympathetic characterisation of the protagonist being obliged (not always successfully) to control his mutant urges creates a little tension where there is virtually none. 

Comparisons have been made with the debut films of other notable genre directors. I can detect a little of Natali's Cube (a fantastic film that explains nothing), and a more notable influence from Lucas' THX 1138; however, to call this a 'thought-provoking and stylish sci-fi shocker' (as the press release does) is being just a touch too complimentary to a low budget feature which appears to imply (as do other similarly-structured examples, such as Primer) that you will only enjoy this if you are of a certain intelligence.

Having said that, mainstream viewers will find little to satisfy here. Eden Log is a good attempt at an original hard science fiction, but suffers somewhat in the entertainment stakes. 

(Review originally written by Ty Power for sci-fi-online 2008)

Nick Halloway (Chevy Chase) is a lazy business executive who burns the candle at both ends. Knowing he has an important presentation to attend at a nuclear research facility in the morning, Nick parties with friends, where he meets a beautiful blonde documentary producer (Daryl Hannah). During the presentation he sneaks off for some much-needed rest, wandering around a top secret area (like you do) and finding a quiet place. But there has been a curious nuclear accident and the building is evacuated. All but Nick. As others stare up at a building which has large chunks missing – or at least somehow invisible  – they spot a hat moving around. Nick is invisible and suddenly of great military value. He is obliged to go on the run, pursued by the chief of security (Sam Neill). How can he approach his new love without freaking her out and alerting the attention of the man who wants to  control him...?

This is a 1992 film based on a book by H. F. Saint. The man did a Norman Greenbaum disappearing act in real life. When he sold his one and only book, his agent secured him $2.5 million in film and book club rights. It’s thought that he moved his family to somewhere in Europe. The film is a showcase for the then revolutionary new special effects revealed by Industrial Light & Magic. Chevy Chase was obliged to wear a skin-tight blue bodysuit, and more time was spent digitally removing images than actually producing them. A sterling job was done – even to the point of removing Chase’s shadow in each scene. But a film is seldom just about the effects.

As a long-time fan, I couldn’t complete this review without mentioning that this is a John Carpenter film. It’s an often overlooked one, mainly because – unlike his  brilliant low budget movies from the first half of his directing career – it is a mainstream, big budget affair, with well-known box office-attracting stars, which Carpenter only directed. As opposed to those that he wrote, directed and produced the soundtrack for. His more well known offerings like Halloween, The Fog, They Live, The Thing, Prince of Darkness, and Escape From New York made a statement, and are Carpenter through and through. This was more of a money-making enterprise. Look out for a short piece with Carpenter himself playing a helicopter pilot and speaking into the radio. The sequence is accredited at the end of the film to the pseudonym Rip Haight.

As for the film itself, the special effects seem quaint now but are still impressive. It’s an enjoyable light-hearted action romp, but not the kind of feature you would necessarily wish to watch repeatedly. The aforementioned films I’ve watched so many times I’ve lost count. This one hasn’t really been cleaned-up either, whereas the new prints on the others are quite stunning. That just leads me to believe Memoirs of an Invisible Man has simply been re-released to coincide with the other better releases in order to cash in on them. One thing I can say though, is this is a family film that all ages can watch and enjoy together. Watch Sam Neill in the much better Carpenter film In the Mouth of Madness.

Extras include: How to Become Invisible – The Dawn of Digital Effects; Outtakes; Trailer & Gallery.   

(Review originally written by Ty Power for sci-fi-online 2018)

A military lieutenant wakes from cryogenic sleep aboard a spacecraft which appears to have lost all power. Aided by his superior officer, he starts the long journey to the bridge (by-passing sealed doors and crawling through ventilation shafts) to discover what has happened. Unfortunately, the effects of the sleep means he can't remember anything about the ship or its mission. When he finds the bodies of operatives belonging to a follow-up task force to his own, it becomes alarmingly obvious that something is awry. He doesn't know the half of it; a large contingent of violent mutant bipeds has overrun the ship. The reactor is on a critical countdown, and the cargo consists of the last vestiges of the human race. Hope of survival appears impossibly thin, and the future of mankind hangs in the balance. However, help comes from the most unexpected quarters...

The pull here as far as actor appeal goes is Dennis Quaid - the only big name in attendance. However, the vast majority of the action and plot centres on the 'soldier boy' lieutenant, as he makes his way initially to the bridge, but getting diverted to engineering when he learns that the reactor is going critical. The idea here seems to be to explore the evolution of a seemingly abandoned craft. The mutants themselves look great; they are cleverly depicted in quick movements and editing cut-aways, so that we have to wait until at least halfway through the film before we see them in their entirety. It's at this point that they strongly resemble the carnivorous attackers from John Carpenter's Ghosts of Mars - particularly the warrior-like leader.

The lighting is kept very low, which comes as both a blessing and a curse; keeping dangers half-hidden to the detriment of actually seeing what is going on. The special effects are saved for the shot of the spacecraft at the beginning, and the ejection of the life pods to the surface at the end. I can appreciate the attempt to do something different with the sci-fi/horror genre, but ultimately it only amounts to a run around. 

(Review originally written by Ty Power for sci-fi-online 2010)

Three men and a woman comprise the only crew on the ARK moon base. When the structure is hit by an unscheduled meteor shower, it causes a considerable amount of damage, as well as affecting the life support. However, they soon discover that is not the worst of their problems. The female crew member has ventured on to the moon surface to check the damage, and unwittingly brought a bacterial contagion into the complex. Spores on a rock fragment reproduce, and the woman undergoes a full pregnancy in a matter of hours. The creature spawned mutates and replicates a crew member. The woman and the copied crew member have seen it, but Colonel Brauchman and the doctor believe they are suffering hallucinations brought on by carbon monoxide poisoning, caused in the damage. The truth will have to be realised soon, because the creature is using the shafts to watch and study them and their weaknesses, and it’s intent on killing them all...

There aren’t nearly enough science fiction horror films any more, as all or most seem to be compared with Alien. Of course, Stranded does borrow heavily from that SF classic. There’s the claustrophobia, the use of ventilation shafts, the gestating alien and, most notably, the escape pod fiasco. There is also use of the Invasion of the Body Snatchers scenario, along with the body horror of John Carpenter’s The Thing. Even Predator gets a little wave, as does Event Horizon (a vastly underrated film). In fact, it’s very difficult for the genre to be  original; it has taken on established acceptances and fears to deviate too much from that path.

I like Christian Slater as an actor - and we don’t get to see him as much as we should – but to be honest, he’s not given a great deal to work with here. So, we get an enjoyable enough film. Action I can do without, but character strength and plot tension are essential qualities which are just a little lacking here. I don’t want to come down on Stranded  too much, as it’s very obviously a low budget outing; it’s just that to make itself known it needs to incorporate something radically  different. I appreciate convincing hard science fiction, but only if it has something new to say.

Roger Christian directed Battlefield Earth. I don’t think that’s something to brag about. The novel is one of my favourite books of all time, and an international bestseller. The movie, however...  Well, let me simply say it takes awful to a new level. So Stranded is definitely a step in the right direction.  

(Review originally written by Ty Power for sci-fi-online 2013)

 John Nada is a homeless and jobless drifter who comes to town looking for labouring work. He finds refuge with a large destitute homeless community, but it is soon mysteriously attacked and destroyed  by riot police. Most of the individuals are taken away. When Nada  witnesses a similar raid on a nearby building, he waits it out before entering to look for clues as to what the purpose of the raid was. Inside he finds a pair of sunglasses which changes everything around him when he puts them on. A percentage of the population actually consists of aliens with skeletal faces, and just as importantly all advertising and media is subversive brainwashing aimed to instruct the populace with messages such as Consume, Procreate, Submit, Obey, No Independent Thought, and on the money, This Is Your God. When Nada meets Frank he has a hard time convincing him, but a scrawled message, They Live - We Sleep, convinces them that there are others who know the truth. The problem is how does this small band of rebels open the eyes of the world...?

John Carpenter has always had an inherent dislike of authority; this comes across in some of his films (such as the anti-hero Snake Plisskin in Escape From NewYork), but none more so than in They Live. This was his comment on Regan-era USA, with money, consumerism, capitalism and middle-class "Yuppies", not to mention the plight of the forgotten homeless (the name Nada means 'nothing'). He believed at the time that everything we see is designed to sell us something, that the only thing society wants to do is to take our money.

Carpenter adapted and scripted a short story by Ray Faraday called 8 O'clock in the Morning, which was published in a magazine in the 1960s. Under the pen name Frank Armitage (a character in The Dunwich Horror by H. P. Lovecraft) Carpenter added plenty of social commentary and found that a lot of humour was creeping into the story. In fact, it's this dark, knowing irony and satire which makes the film stand out so prominently as original and entertaining. One such example is when two TV icons are revealed to be aliens while they are criticising Carpenter and George Romero films for being too violent.

As with Prince of Darkness, the budget was only $3 million and the shooting schedule 8 weeks. For the part of Nada, Carpenter recruited experienced wrestler "Rowdy" Roddy Piper, whom he had seen at a Wrestlemania event. Taking a chance paid off, because Piper brings much more than brawn to the part. Keith David (who had appeared in The Thing) was alongside him with Meg Foster. Mind you, Piper's profession did help when Carpenter scripted-in a seven minute alleyway brawl because he wanted to out-do The Quiet Man as the longest on-screen fight.

As with his previous film, Carpenter composed another excellent mood-enhancing music score. Releasing the film just prior to the 1988 elections was either inspired or a very lucky happenstance, because it proved to be a hit at the box office - seemingly the only Carpenter film that audiences 'got' straight away. An inherent message in the film about not selling-out for big financial success was not lost on Carpenter fans, who know that he has never been close to doing so. There was talk of a sequel to They Live, titled Hypnowar, but it was never made.

They Live has always existed as an unsung hero, both as an individual film and part of the Carpenter collective. It’s often overlooked and seldom named when people list his most popular projects. However, other Carpenter fans, like myself, will reveal the truth of the matter: that it is another classic in the Carpenter movie arsenal. The main appeal is that it is different. A political statement on consumerism disguised as entertainment, yes. But it’s not just a veil; there is so much to enjoy here. The science fiction element of aliens living among us, the humorous but somewhat creepy alien reveal (when they realise they can be seen as they really are) and the plethora of one-liners ("I have come here to chew bubblegum and kick ass... and I'm all out of bubblegum."), and there is the action which hardly lets-up and introduces one of the greatest  pairings in film history.

The movie is at times uncanny, darkly comic, intriguing and character-driven. Ideal popcorn entertainment – even though it’s making a statement on society. Subsequent films, such as The Matrix, have borrowed heavily from this concept of a false life we are leading behind a sinister secret.

They Live is one of three 4-disc box set releases – the others being The Fog and Escape From New York. These incorporate a 4K version, a Blu-ray, a full disc of old and new extras, and the Carpenter soundtrack. There is also a 2-disc Blu-ray of Prince of Darkness. As with The Fog, I have only received the DVD for review. However, the clean-up and upgrading from the original film negatives – even on the DVD – is phenomenally crisp and bright, with vibrant colours. I urge any true Carpenter fan to invest in the 4-disc sets, which include newly-commissioned artwork, art cards and poster.  

(Review originally written by Ty Power for sci-fi-online 2018)

An American paleontologist is sent thousands of miles away to a remote Norwegian research base in the frozen wastes of the Antarctic. A major scientific discovery has been made in the ice. There is what appears to be a spacecraft, and nearby an alien creature embedded in the ice. The ice block is transported to the camp for study, but the unknown occupant of the UFO makes its escape as the temperature rises. The men and women of the base will soon come to realise that the newcomer is a deadly predator that can skillfully duplicate its prey, so that their living conditions become a boiling pot of ill-trust and paranoia. However, for the paleontologist there is the added realisation that the Thing can not be allowed to escape to populated areas...

For anyone who isn’t aware of its illustrious background, this tale began as a short story called Who Goes There? written by SF scribe W. John Campbell Jr. In the 1950s, Western filmmaker Howard Hawkes adapted it as The Thing From Another World.  John Carpenter was greatly inspired by the techniques utilised by  Hawkes. In 1982 Carpenter returned more closely to the source material, accentuating the claustrophobia, paranoia and base-under-siege format. He has described this as his best film - both in its latter day success, and the enjoyment in the making. So, what do you do when confronted with the situation of updating/remaking a cult classic? Answer: you make a sequel, or in this particular case a prequel.

This version of The Thing acts-out what took place at the  Norwegian base prior to those events we all know and love from Carpenter’s film. Essentially, it means that this film ends at the point Carpenter’s begins - with the helicopter pursuing the fleeing dog across the ice. The danger here is that continuity has to be right, and that’s exactly what director Matthijs Van Heijningen has striven for in an attempt to make these earlier plot lines canon to the fans. On the extra features virtually everyone spoken to talks about paying homage to Carpenter’s fantastic film. After watching the film I would  say homage means copying almost every aspect of  it.

Consequentially, I found myself appreciating the technical prowess of the new film, whilst pretty much hating it. For instance, the monster effects are a combination of animatronics, prosthetics and CGI, and it’s evident even to the untrained eye that what works least well here is the CGI. The open-body tentacles look fake, whereas the body sculptures work quite well. The obvious problem is that the majority of creature reveal moments are drearily close to the originals featured in John Carpenter’s far superior movie. There’s that homage again. Also, I like the way this film uses natural fire rather than CGI fire, which even in multi-million pound blockbusters still doesn’t work.

In all other respects this is simply a by-the-numbers rehash. It lacks characterisation; everyone is faceless canon fodder. The feeling of dark oppression and paranoia which completely permeates the celluloid of Carpenter’s film is completely absent here. There’s no mood, and you just don’t care about the proceedings. In short, there’s nothing new about this film, apart from the idea of looking in people’s mouths, as the creature can not replicate non-organic  material - i.e. teeth fillings. For real tension, check out the scene in Carpenter’s film where they take blood samples to discover who has been replicated.

There are apparently two versions of this release. One with just the new 2011 film and extras (commentary, deleted scenes, The Thing Evolves, Fire & Ice)  -  and a 2-film version which includes Carpenter’s 1982 film and a horde of extras. Take my advice, buy the 1982 film; it’s superior in every way. 

(Review originally written by Ty Power for sci-fi-online 2012)