Invader

Even in an auspicious premise over a NASA lander Viking sent to Mars in early eighties, it strangely is back landing at California desert area, in the same time Nasa's Engineer crew members aware of the happening pick up the lander sending it at Mojave closed laboratory there they try figure out why it was back on Earth, due such lander didn't has any pre-arranged device to allow any post-returning, therefore just this element was enough good to developed a better screenplay, instead once again another slime Alien monster aiming for capitalize on the successful formulaic ALIEN.

Aftermaths the Pentagon notifies the US' Army to take over the incident and remove the lander Viking to a top-secret place to clarify the sudden appearance, turns out that inside a spheric pod came an embryonic egg of an alien form, who growing faster and hides on the facility, to worsen the lame script mixing a struggles against a hermaphrodite Alien, even once dead is growing inside another being, the came up the unexpected matter, a soldier suffering of appendicitis needing a rush surgery, what a mess, just wait for strong emotions, it just the beginning.

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First watch: 2024 / How many: 1 / Source: Youtube / Rating: 5.

I caught this film on the Sci-Fi Channel. They were hyping it as a Ryan Philippe movie, though this is clearly not so. He plays a very minor part in the story. That's the Sci-Fi Channel for you.

The important thing is that this movie is not that bad. It suffers from lack of style, lack of cinematography, poor pacing and some annoying "rigidly following the groove of the genre" plot paths.

However, there are some good things.

The actors are high quality and deserve a shot at better films. Their characters suggest depth and background, making them almost well rounded, though such depth and background is only suggested (not demonstrated) in the film. The portrayal of the scientists and military types is non-cliched. They are intelligent and have intelligent dialog. They behave as real people would.

The science details are actually based on science and smarts, instead of gadgetry and nonsense. It is clear, as mentioned in another good review, that the scriptwriter researched the material, as there are correct descriptions of the Mars lander's capabilities and design and interesting concepts about the alien lifeform are explored.

The alien lifeform is extremely well thought out and designed. It looks great on screen, too. It is possibly the most interesting thing about this film, though treated a little more like the "creature we must hunt down and kill" than I'd like. It does demonstrate interesting behaviors and qualities not seen often before, as well as something most alien creature movies never consider: intelligent motivation.

The film does not end predictably and the process the film takes to get to that end is not that bad, either. It's just a bit anticlimactic and a little flat.

This review may sound unkind. I am simply being realistic and honest. The flaws are there and they keep this film from being high quality. Yet, there is much to like. The good aspects are plenty and are of higher caliber than you would expect to find in direct to video alien-invader flics. Normally these kinds of films rely of cliche, unintelligent characters, unrealistic scenarios, sex, gunplay and gore. This film uses mostly none of those items to make its attempt at entertaining you (some violence and gunplay, but not to rediculous extremes).

I found much to enjoy about the film, from a deconstruction point of view - the technical details, the story concept, the unique uses of the genre, the excellent alien design and portrayal, and as a general "learning tool" for film study.

As a feature film, it falls flat. As an extended length episode of The Outer Limits, it would have been a "top-ten" episode.

I think that anyone who can enjoy "flawed films with good intent" should give this film a shot; it isn't grade-A material, but it's worth a viewing or two and may inspire film makers to do better in different ways.

When an object lands in the Mojave desert, it turns out to be our own Viking Mars probe. Taken back to a lab facility for decontamination and study, the team there soon realizes that it has been altered. Then, the military gets involved and takes over the entire project.

Uh oh!

Something that has stowed away in the probe leaps out, and escapes. It's on the loose and growing at an alarming rate. It also displays a superior intelligence. Now, the scientists and soldiers must keep the mutating creature from getting out of the lab.

LIFEFORM is a low-budget sci-fi thriller that makes the best of its limited resources. Not surprisingly, the best aspect of the movie is the ever-changing alien. It's different and actually pretty menacing. This movie is far more intriguing than anticipated...

'Invader' is a decent aliens film, no more but no less either. It is done in the mid 90's, is is clearly a low budget film - so the effects are far from what big studios succeed in similar movies. Directing and acting are quite routine, nothing memorable above the usual TV series level. However, the script is quite decent, and despite some inconsistencies, it keeps somehow the interest high. The end is quite good, kind of justifying the viewer surviving the 90 minutes the movie lasts. Science fiction fans may like it, though we have seen much better. 6/10 on my personal scale.

As my title says. Not bad. Not great. But for a low budget dtv movie made in '96 it actually holds up well; the acting isnt horrendous, they didnt try to do too much with the special effects, so while they are minimal they arent (too) cheesy, the plot does move along at a decent pace, and there are no glaring holes in the plot (the scifi element is pretty standard), not too far fetched, lastly the production values (sound, lighting, etc) are those of a made for tv movie (ie good not great- but you can see/hear/understand everything. Definitely suitable for family sci fi movie night (but make it the 1st in a double header). And the best part?-- there is room plotwise for a sequel (30 yrs later....)