Two college professors team up with a fire-fighting cadet and a government scientist to combat an alien organism that has been rapidly evolving since its arrival on Earth inside a meteor.Two college professors team up with a fire-fighting cadet and a government scientist to combat an alien organism that has been rapidly evolving since its arrival on Earth inside a meteor.Two college professors team up with a fire-fighting cadet and a government scientist to combat an alien organism that has been rapidly evolving since its arrival on Earth inside a meteor.
- Awards
- 2 nominations
- Danny
- (as Michael Ray Bower)
Storyline
Did you know
- TriviaInitially written as a serious science-fiction thriller, Ivan Reitman hired David Diamond and David Weissman to re-write the project as a Ghostbusters (1984)-style comedy. The original writer, Don Jakoby, actually enjoyed the changes so much, he continued working on the film alongside the other writers.
- GoofsIn the opening sequence, when Wayne runs from the meteor about to hit the ground, he isn't wearing his fireman's jacket. When he is shown with his back to the camera looking at the explosion, he is wearing a jacket.
- Quotes
[Dr. Paulson is going to pull the alien bug out through Harry's rectum]
Nurse Tate: I'll get the lubricant...
Dr. Paulson: There's no time for lubricant!
Harry Block: There's ALWAYS time for lubricant!
- Crazy creditsThere is an item 'Stunt Primate'
- Alternate versionsIn the courtroom scene, 'Julianne Moore (I)''s character's top pops open, flashing David Duchovny and contributing to her character's inherent clumsiness. This was later cut from the theatrical release, but remnants of its effect can be seen in the courtroom scene. At the beginning of the scene, the top button of her blouse is obviously stretching her blouse, and later we see her clutching her jacket over the open shirt. There is also an allusion to it later in the diner when Orlando Jones comments upon Duchovny's ex pulling off one of his old shirts, saying all the women he's met today have taken off their shirts in front of him.
- SoundtracksBombshell
Written by Michael Tempesta & Michael Cummings
Performed by Powerman 5000
Courtesy of DreamWorks Records
Sure they weren't logical or realistic, but they were fun in a fantasy sort of sense. I enjoyed the watching the entire alien "ecosystem" evolve.
Fortunately, I'm the kind of person that understands a movie made to be predominantly a comedy doesn't require scientific accuracy, nor should the audience expect it. It was intentionally silly.
One last thing. I thought David Duchovny did a great job playing a character that had a wry, dry sense of humor. He wasn't exactly a straight man, but it was clear to me, he was laughing at the world.
Rating, I gave it 8/10 because it entertained me AND my wife, something many movies can't do.
Details
Box office
- Budget
- $80,000,000 (estimated)
- Gross US & Canada
- $38,345,494
- Opening weekend US & Canada
- $13,408,351
- Jun 10, 2001
- Gross worldwide
- $98,376,292
- Runtime1 hour 41 minutes
- Sound mix
- Aspect ratio
- 1.85 : 1