Alien Apocalypse

The Details:
Director: Josh Becker
Runtime: 88 min
Country: USA
Language: English
Color: Color
Sound Mix: Dolby Digital
Certification: USA:TV-14

The Review:
Claiming to be the "highest rated (more ambiguity, please) sci-fi pictures original of all-time!", Alien Apocalypse is an enjoyable and surprisingly expansive low-budget creature feature. It has strong influences from Planet of the Apes, having a nearly identical plot setup, and also some of the stronger themes found in Bruce Campbell's most commercially successful film, Army of Darkness. Competently directed by Josh Becker, who has gained some acclaim for his no-nonsense filmmaking, it comes very close to rising out of it's b-movie status, were it not for the cartoonily (so I just made it up... so what?) obvious voice-over work and periodic cheese-ball acting from the Bulgarian locals. Also, Sci-Fi pictures had a hand in lowering this picture into the seedy dungeon that is: the B-movie, as they had nearly complete control over the pacing, as well as free reign to manipulate some essential plot reveals.

A quick summary might go a little like this: Doctor Ivan Hood is dropped into a future overrun by emotionless grasshopper-like alien baddies and embarks on a quest to locate the President of the United States and assist his efforts to free the human race from enslavement.

The cinematography is, from time to time, well handled and pulls the legitimacy of the whole movie up with it. But, when the characters within that frame are wearing beards and wigs that look as if they were made for a 3rd grade christmas play, it's a little hard to take the whole thing seriously. This movie has some genuinely hilarious and frequently original and meaningful dialogue, however. Couple that with the lines being shot from the hip of B legend Bruce Campbell, and Xena alum Reneé O'Connor, and you end up with a movie that is fit to B-tied.


The effects in this movie are quite incredible for a small budgeted made-for-the-boob-tube production. One memorable scene features a tank of alien originals firing rockets at our heros. The tank has the influence of the trees surrounding it, and it even leaves convincing treads in the mud. The invading aliens are comprised of full-scale puppets and CGI animation. Although it is obvious which is which, both are to be commended on the highest level. The puppetry, although stiff and jerky, has an amazing texture, color, and is even complete with disgusting pulsating veins. Because the CGI work was completed after the initial shooting of the film, they were able to scan the physical puppets into the computer. This greatly enhanced the realism and also helped the frequent transitions between practical and digital aliens. Again, it's obvious which is which, but if happen to be blessed with the 'quality' of a console television and a coaxial converter for your dvd player, these effects will look like heaven.

Another of the reasons why this movie nearly climbs out of the dank basement of b-movieness, but one of the reasons why it isn't very popular, is that it's one of those not-enough-bad and yet not-enough-good b-movies. There should be a new word for this type of movie. Bgadnoof. Yes, this movie is Bgadnoof. Therefore, I can only recommend Alien Apocalypse for fans of one of the following elements (and especially any combination): Bruce Campbell, Josh Becker, Reneé O'Conner, green alien gore splashing on the faces of our heros, heads of slave humans being randomly bitten off, gorgeos Bulgarian models in skimpy One Million Years B.C.-style outfits, uh-splosions, crazy-hilarious voice dubbing, a whimsical and sometimes hysterical commentary by the director and star, outstanding dialogue like (upon killing an asshole, Bruce says) "Your stupidity is terminal... you've just ben cured."

As for this brain-analyzer, I had a blast watching the flick. It's, on the surface, what it appears to be, a hastily-made sci-fi movie, sometimes poorly edited (but those parts are probably BY Sci-Fi themselves), but also contains some genuine and unfamiliar ideas and directions.

Interested in some previews? check out the unofficial website.





HUMOR: Fantastic smart-assidness from Bruce.
VIOLENCE: Good amount of sweet alien/human slaughtering.
FINGERS: Chopped off and served to the alien lords. yum!