Species
Reviews
Kamurai
Good watch, would watch again, and can recommend. This was a hit movie at the time, and other than the Xenos design, I'd say it is still a pretty good movie. The "anti-Jaws" approach of showing the monster off is really cool as the premise is largely how detailed and dangerous the xenos is, but the approach removes a lot of the suspense in the hunting and subterfuge, almost humanizing her as "hunted by the evil government entity". While it would be a much different, and arguably better, movie to do something more like "The Thing", that she only has one human mask sorts of outs her, making it more like a spy movie, and I think they did really well with that in mind. It just lacks the level of nuance and hidden information that spy and thriller movies tend to have. It's much closer to "Aliens" than "Alien".
Wuchak
_**Wiping out the "galactic weed**_" Released in 1995, "Species" chronicles events after SETI (Search for Extra Terrestrial Intelligence) receives a transmission from outer space detailing alien DNA structure, along with instructions on how to splice it with human DNA. This gives birth to Sil, a girl (Michele Williams) who escapes and rapidly grows into a statuesque blonde (Natasha Henstridge). Government agent Xavier Fitch (Ben Kingsley) assembles a team to locate and destroy Sil before she finds a mate and breeds. The team includes a tough mercenary (Michael Madsen), an anthropologist (Alfred Molina), a molecular biologist (Marg Helgenberger) and an empath (Forest Whitaker). I developed a bad attitude toward "Species" for years due to Roger Ebert's scathing review, but changed my mind upon giving it an openminded viewing. This is a top-of-the-line sci-fi/adventure/horror flick. People look down on it because of the nudity and mild sex scenes, which prompts them to disdain it as exploitive and trashy. While Natasha Henstridge is a good-lookin' woman, she doesn't do anything for me (she's not my type) so I was able to totally overlook this element and focus on the film's other attributes. For one, the score by Christopher Young is excellent. Secondly, the A-list cast is a highlight and their characters are increasingly fleshed-out in the story. Lastly, while people understandably write-off the movie as a Grade B plot with Grade A production, there's more here than meets the eye. For instance, Sil is the innocent pawn of the extraterrestrials who sent the DNA. Another example is the excellent character of Dan (Whitaker) whom whiners complain about as "always pointing out the obvious" when the movie shows over and over that he DOES know things the others don't and they ignore him to their own peril. Dan is necessary so that the team knows what direction the creature takes on repeated occasions; without Dan we'd see them pursue one boring dead-end after another. While snobby film critics love to hate "Species" it's a thoroughly entertaining sci-fi adventure with an interesting moral and a great cast of characters. If you like films like "Alien," "Aliens," "Terminator," "Terminator 2" and "Predator" you'll probably appreciate it. It may not be as good as "Aliens," "Terminator" and "Terminator 2," but it's on par with "Alien" (and marginally better IMHO) and superior to "Predator." Then again, it depends on what you want in a sci-fi blockbuster. As far as I'm concerned, "Species" delivers the goods. The film runs 108 minutes and was shot in the areas of Los Angeles and Brigham City, Utah. GRADE: A- ***SPOILER ALERT*** (Don't read further unless you've seen the movie) The theory is postulated by the mercenary and biologist that the alien DNA was sent as a biological weapon, a "weed killer" from outer space to wipe out the galactic weed of earth or, more accurately, the human race that inhabits it. It's a fascinating concept and the film compellingly realizes it.
CinemaSerf
Clearly, these scientists had not heeded Jeff Goldblum in "Jurassic Park" (1993) when he warned about stopping to think that just because we can do something, it doesn't mean that we should. If they had, then perhaps we could have avoided the mayhem and brutality caused when they create "Sil" (Natasha Henstridge). She is the product of alien and human DNA and can morph between a beautiful woman and a savage killer in the blink of an eye. Of course she escapes from the high security facility that couldn't keep a cow out, and is soon on the search for a man. Not any particular man, just one who can help her make a baby - and believe me, that's not a good plan! The scientists - led by "Lennox" (a rather charmless Michael Madson) and "Baker" (Marg Helgenberger) are on her trail but can they stop her before she finds a willing partner? To be fair, the visual effects - very "Terminator" (1984) style - are actually quite effective but the acting, especially from the always hammy Ben Kingsley, and the scripting are very bottom drawer. There's some imagination with the look of the film, but the delivery is pedestrian across the board before an ending that has an inevitability to it that I found a bit predictable. Not terrible, but a real missed opportunity that had it been cast better and just spent a little more time on the a more substantial story, could have created a better sense of menace and even a little (dark) humour.
Movie Recommendation
Species II1998-04-10Having just returned from a mission to Mars, Commander Ross isn't exactly himself. He's slowly becoming a terrifying alien entity with one goal -- to procreate with human women! When countless women suffer gruesome deaths after bearing half-alien offspring, scientist Laura Baker and hired assassin Press Lennox use Eve, a more tempered alien clone, to find Ross and his brood. Before long Eve escapes to mate with Ross.More...
Species: The Awakening2007-10-17A scientist, Dr Hollander, takes his niece Miranda to Mexico in an attempt to reverse the effects of the alien DNA he used to create her. However the treatment goes horribly wrong, and sets Miranda on a killing spree as she sets out to find a mate.More...
Species III2005-01-14After she delivers her child in an ambulance, alien Eve is killed by a half-breed. Fortunately, Dr. Abbot scoops up the baby alien and escapes. In time, the baby grows into a gorgeous blonde named Sara and begins her quest to find a worthy mate. But Sara is also savage and leaves a trail of deaths in her wake. This carnage makes chemistry student Dean question whether to help her race or not.More...
Ghosts of Mars2001-08-14In 2176, a Martian police unit is sent to pick up a highly dangerous criminal at a remote mining post. Upon arrival, the cops find the post deserted and something far more dangerous than any criminal — the original inhabitants of Mars, hellbent on getting their planet back.More...
When a Stranger Calls1979-08-24A student babysitter has her evening disturbed when the phone rings. So begins a series of increasingly terrifying and threatening calls that lead to a shocking revelation.More...
The Face of Love2013-10-25A widow falls for a guy who bears a striking resemblance to her late husband.More...
Dream Home2010-04-25A woman will go to whatever lengths necessary to obtain her dream home with a view of the sea. This includes driving down the property value and decreasing the occupancy rate by killing her potential neighbors.More...
Sabata1969-09-16Several pillars of society have robbed an Army safe containing $100,000 so they can buy the land upon which the coming railroad will be built. But they haven't reckoned on the presence of the master gunslinger, Sabata.More...
Martial Law II: Undercover1991-10-01Sean and Billie are undercover cops and martial arts masters. Investigating the death of a cop, they uncover a deadly ring of murder and corruption at a glitzy nightclub, where the rich are entertained by seductive women and protected by martial arts experts. Billie goes undercover to infiltrate the crime ring, leading to an explosive finale.More...
Boar2018-06-17In the harsh, yet beautiful Australian outback lives a beast, an animal of staggering size, with a ruthless, driving need for blood and destruction. It cares for none, defends its territory with brutal force, and kills with a raw, animalistic savagery unlike any have seen before.More...
The Big Easy1986-11-27Remy McSwain is a New Orleans police lieutenant who investigates the murder of a local mobster. His investigation leads him to suspect that fellow members of the police force may be involved.More...
The Nutcracker1991-11-28On Christmas Eve, a little girl named Marie falls asleep and dreams herself into a fantastic world in which her toys become larger than life. She meets up with the Nutcracker Prince who takes her on a journey to his kingdom and defends her from the Mouse King.More...
Diary of a Madman1963-03-06Simon Cordier, a French magistrate and amateur sculptor comes into contact with a malevolent entity. The invisible - yet corporeal - being, called a "horla" is capable of limited psychokinesis and complete mind control.More...
The Night Before1988-04-15A popular beauty surprisingly asks a nerd to take her to the prom. He wakes up hours later in a sleazy alley. She's missing but he remembers nothing about it.More...
So Sweet, So Dead1972-07-18A serial killer is on the loose. His victims are unfaithful wives and he always leaves compromising photographs at the crime scene.More...
Mermaid Chronicles Part 1: She Creature2001-12-20Two carnies (Sewell and Gugino) abduct a mermaid in Ireland, circa 1900, and decide to transport her to America. As their ship loses its way and heads towards the mythical Forbidden Islands, the mermaid begins to display its deadly side.More...
Lassie1994-07-22On their way to start a new life at a sheep farm in rural Virginia, the Turner family are halted by a wreck on the highway that has claimed the life of a truck driver. Spotting the trucker's now-abandoned collie on the side of the road, they take pity on the dog and adopt her. As the city family copes with the change to rural life, including a feud with a neighboring farm family who resent the city interlopers, the ever-loyal Lassie helps them adjust to their new surroundings.More...
The Bleeder1983-01-01On tour through Sweden, the all-girl rock 'n' roll band "Rock Cats" suddenly find themselves trapped in no-man's land when their tour-bus breaks down. Soon they get to meet "the Bleeder", an insane beast of a man whose sole interest is to kill them all off, one by one. The hunt is on…More...
Old King Cole1933-07-29Old King Cole throws party and invites all of the Mother Goose characters. He warns them that they must leave at midnight. Another collection of characters puts on a stage show. The Ten Little Indian Boys get everyone dancing along. The Hickory Dickory Dock mice announce midnight, and everyone leaves, back into their books.More...
School Is Over2018-07-11Agathe Langlois, Parisian until the end of the nails well varnishes, is delighted: she is going to be confirmed as a professor of English. The happiness of the good news will not last as she learns that she is deployed to the countryside.More...
Similar Movies
Johnny Express
2014-05-08In the year 2150, Johnny, a lazy Space Delivery Man, must deliver a package on a planet he does not fully understand.Twelve Monkeys
1995-12-29In the year 2035, convict James Cole reluctantly volunteers to be sent back in time to discover the origin of a deadly virus that wiped out nearly all of the earth's population and forced the survivors into underground communities. But when Cole is mistakenly sent to 1990 instead of 1996, he's arrested and locked up in a mental hospital. There he meets psychiatrist Dr. Kathryn Railly and the son of a famous virus expert who may hold the key to the Army of the 12 Monkeys; thought to be responsible for unleashing the killer disease.War of the Worlds
2005-06-28Ray Ferrier is a divorced dockworker and less-than-perfect father. Soon after his ex-wife and her new husband drop off his teenage son and young daughter for a rare weekend visit, a strange and powerful lightning storm touches down.Mars Attacks!
1996-12-13A fleet of Martian spacecraft surrounds the world's major cities and all of humanity waits to see if the extraterrestrial visitors have, as they claim, "come in peace." U.S. President James Dale receives assurance from science professor Donald Kessler that the Martians' mission is a friendly one. But when a peaceful exchange ends in the total annihilation of the U.S. Congress, military men call for a full-scale nuclear retaliation.Blade Runner
1982-06-25In the smog-choked dystopian Los Angeles of 2019, blade runner Rick Deckard is called out of retirement to terminate a quartet of replicants who have escaped to Earth seeking their creator for a way to extend their short life spans.Beverly Hills Cop
1984-12-05Fast-talking, quick-thinking Detroit street cop Axel Foley has bent more than a few rules and regs in his time, but when his best friend is murdered, he heads to sunny Beverly Hills to work the case like only he can.Beverly Hills Cop II
1987-05-18Axel Foley returns to the land of sunshine and palm trees to investigate the near-fatal shooting of police Captain Andrew Bogomil. With the help of Sgt. Taggart and Det. Rosewood, they soon uncover that the shooting is associated with a series of "alphabet" robberies masterminded by a heartless weapons kingpin—and the chase is on.Dracula
1931-02-12A British estate agent travels to Transylvania to meet the mysterious Count Dracula, who is interested in leasing a London castle. After Dracula enslaves the agent and drives him to insanity, the pair return to London together, where Dracula, a secret bloodsucker, begins preying on socialites.48 Hrs.
1982-12-07A hard-nosed cop reluctantly teams up with a wise-cracking criminal temporarily paroled to him, in order to track down a killer.Strange Days
1995-10-13In the last days of 1999, ex-cop turned street hustler Lenny Nero receives a disc which contains the memories of the murder of a prostitute. With the help of bodyguard Mace, he starts to investigate and is pulled deeper and deeper in a whirl of murder, blackmail and intrigue.Jurassic Park
1993-06-11A wealthy entrepreneur secretly creates a theme park featuring living dinosaurs drawn from prehistoric DNA. Before opening day, he invites a team of experts and his two eager grandchildren to experience the park and help calm anxious investors. However, the park is anything but amusing as the security systems go off-line and the dinosaurs escape.The Lost World: Juras...
1997-05-23Four years after Jurassic Park's genetically bred dinosaurs ran amok, multimillionaire John Hammond shocks chaos theorist Ian Malcolm by revealing that he has been breeding more beasties at a secret location. Malcolm, his paleontologist ladylove and a wildlife videographer join an expedition to document the lethal lizards' natural behavior in this action-packed thriller.Jurassic Park III
2001-07-18In need of funds for research, Dr. Alan Grant accepts a large sum of money to accompany Paul and Amanda Kirby on an aerial tour of the infamous Isla Sorna. It isn't long before all hell breaks loose and the stranded wayfarers must fight for survival as a host of new -- and even more deadly -- dinosaurs try to make snacks of them.Inspector Gadget
1999-07-23John Brown is a bumbling but well-intentioned security guard who is badly injured in an explosion planned by an evil mastermind. He is taken to a laboratory, where Brenda, a leading robotics surgeon, replaces his damaged limbs with state-of-the-art gadgets and tools. Named "Inspector Gadget" by the press, John -- along with his niece, Penny, and her trusty dog, Brain -- uses his new powers to discover who was behind the explosion.Alien
1979-05-25During its return to the earth, commercial spaceship Nostromo intercepts a distress signal from a distant planet. When a three-member team of the crew discovers a chamber containing thousands of eggs on the planet, a creature inside one of the eggs attacks an explorer. The entire crew is unaware of the impending nightmare set to descend upon them when the alien parasite planted inside its unfortunate host is birthed.AVP: Alien vs. Predat...
2004-08-12When scientists discover something near Antarctica that appears to be a buried Pyramid, they send a research team out to investigate. Little do they know that they are about to step into a hunting ground where Aliens are grown as sport for the Predator race.William
2019-04-12Two cutting-edge scientists give 'birth' to a Neanderthal—the first to walk the earth for some 35,000 years—in order to attempt to answer these questions. Part 'normal' child, part science experiment, William’s 'parents' struggle with the best way to raise him. As William grows toward adulthood, he is educated in the human experiences of love and intimacy. But his primitive impulses begin to emerge the more he tries to conform to human expectations, leading to tragic consequences for him and his loved ones.Star Trek II: The Wra...
1982-06-04The starship Enterprise and its crew is pulled back into action when old nemesis, Khan, steals a top secret device called Project Genesis.K-PAX
2001-10-26Prot is a patient at a mental hospital who claims to be from a far away planet. His psychiatrist tries to help him, only to begin to doubt his own explanations.Star Trek IV: The Voy...
1986-11-26When a huge alien probe enters the galaxy and begins to vaporize Earth's oceans, Kirk and his crew must travel back in time in order to bring back whales and save the planet.