Species (1995)

For some reason I've always loved watching "Species", even though I very well realize that it isn't a particularly good movie. Still due to its approach and handling of a really unoriginal concept and story, the movie can be regarded as one of the best science-fiction movies from the '90's.

If you need to compare this movie to something, you can easily compare it to any of the "Alien"-movies. Of course over the years "Alien" and its sequel "Aliens" have been ripped-off countless times and film-makers often tried to cash in by making basically "Alien" and "Aliens" clones, using the same concept, settings, characters, locations, complete sequences and whatever more that it was that made these two science-fiction movies such an highly acclaimed success. Yes, in my opinion "Species" can definitely be seen as an "Alien" clone but out of all the movies that ever tried to rip off the "Alien" movies in any way possible, this is easily the best movie, that at times even makes you forget how unoriginal it actually truly is.

Also no big wonder that the movie should remind you of "Alien" at times, also since the alien in this movie got designed by the same man who designed the original alien for "Alien" and all of its sequels. So perhaps this is also part of the reason why you so easily can forgive this movie from ripping off "Alien" in parts.

It's a surprising movie from Roger Donaldson, who had never done any science-fiction or horror before and he also hasn't done any ever since. Donaldson is these days mostly known for directing more serious movies.

It's perhaps its horror that also makes this movie work out so well. The movie is not just a science-fiction movie about an alien on the loose but truly knows to create a dark moody atmosphere as well and puts in a couple of true great and effective horror moments, which makes the movie tense and in a way also unpredictable to watch, also since the movie is not too afraid to kill off its main characters.

There is also some gore in the movie that is good looking, with its often graphic killings. Also the make-up effects are great and the movie uses some early special effects, that especially for 1995 standards seem like pretty good ones, even though the movie itself somewhat feels and looks like a low budget production.

The movie makes a choice not to only follow the team that is called in to hunt down the alien but also shows things from the perspective of the alien herself. She's constantly learning things, which she uses to adapt and blend in and to eventually get what she wants. This approach gives "Species" a nice extra dimension. It's like "The Day the Earth Stood Still", only with a not so friendly alien.

The movie also has an amazing cast with actors such as Ben Kingsley, Michael Madsen, Alfred Molina, Forest Whitaker and Michelle Williams involved. Whenever I hear the name- or a thinking of Ben Kingsley, I'm not thinking about "Schindler's List" or "Ghandi" but I'm thinking about "Species". I don't now, I just find it to be a very amusing role by him, despite the fact that he plays his character totally death serious.

I love this movie!

8/10

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Fmovies: For thirty years, powerful telescopes have been scanning the space searching from signal of alien civilization. In 1974, the SETI (Search for Extra Terrestrial Intelligence) team sends a message to the space with the human DNA, map of our solar system and other information. In return, they receive two messages: the first one, with a catalyst for methane; the second, a detailed alien DNA together with instructions to join it with human DNA. The result of the experiment is the deadly creature Sil. When Dr. Xavier Fitch (Ben Kingsley), who is leading the research, decides to terminate the experiment, the girl Sil (Michelle Williams) escapes to Los Angeles. Dr. Fitch joins the mercenary Preston Lennox (Michael Madsen); the anthropologist Dr. Stephen Arden (Alfred Molina); the scientist Dr. Laura Baker (Marg Helgenberger); and the empathic Dan Smithson (Forest Whitaker) to chase Sil (Natasha Henstridge). Sooner they discover that the predator Sil has grown-up and became a beautiful woman, trying to copulate to generate an offspring.

"Species" is one of the best sci-fis of the 90's. Full of action, sexy and with a great cast, this film introduces the stunning Natasha Henstridge, one of the most gorgeous and sexy actresses of Hollywood ever. Her debut could not be better, and together with the cult Michael Madsen, they make this pleasant movie work. The story recalls those B-movies from the 50's, but spiced with erotic and very sexy scenes. I have just watched this movie for the fourth time, and I do not get tired to this attractive story. My vote is seven.

Title (Brazil): "A Experiência" ("The Experience")

Dennis Feldman's 'Species' is a severely underrated science fiction film from the 90s. The film touches on many themes, including the meaning of life, human desires, specifically procreation, human interaction, kindness/empathy, selfishness, fear, manipulation, intuition, following orders. It does so in a way that is mostly sublime enough that it comes across as genuine. For example there is a fairly believable romance buried in there underneath layers of alien slime. The dialog is mostly well written and to the point, the actors are great and there's lots of attention to detail. Combine that with some great and grotesque visuals, courtesy of the late Hans Ruedi Giger and some Cronenbergian body horror and you're in for a fascinating ride through Los Angeles.

The dialog doesn't always work, like when they're trying to track her down and are quickly jumping to conclusions about things that the audience already knows. Scenes vary in quality, some feel a bit rushed. While the effects are mostly excellent there are some subpar ones, too.

Overall I highly recommend it if you can get something out of sci-fi horror.

Species fmovies. Not all movies have to be intense and hard to figure out. Sometimes they can just be fun, and this one is.

You have to suspend disbelief on a few technical scientific things, such as sending a message from SETI into outer space, remember that radio waves travel at the speed of light, and the nearest star to use is 4.3 light years away. So at BEST it would take 8 years to send/receive a message, but most stars in our galaxy are 50,000 light years away or so, so the message to one of those would take 100,000 years to send/receive.

Then we can't create DNA of a human, how are we going to create the DNA of an Alien species from scratch given just the data about it? But don't worry about those details, just have fun with it, watch the pretty little half-alien girl kill with much gore.. And the team of experts they send to catch the now fully-grown woman/alien is kind of fun too. Very cliché characters, but still fun.

I like the deep, hard-to-understand movies as well, but this one kept me entertained all the way through. Not the greatest movie ever made but not boring either. A fun B-movie type science fiction/horror movie, but with good actors.

I'm giving it an 8, which to me means, "liked it", whereas a 6 to me would mean "it was OK". It was more than OK so I give it an 8.

Species is like a meeting between an amateur low budget film, and a big budget horror movie. On the one hand; the film has a great cast and is professionally produced, but on the other - the special effects wouldn't have looked out of place in an eighties film, and the plot concentrates mostly on its sleazy and often silly by-products. That being said, however, the movie is lots of fun; and overall I wouldn't hesitate to call it one of the best horror films of the nineties. The film takes obvious influence from a range of similar films, such as Tobe Hooper's Lifeforce and Jack Sholder's 'The Hidden', but it brings all of it's elements together well and somehow manages to feel fresh and inventive. The plot is pure hokum, but it works well; as alien-human crossover 'Sil' escapes from a testing lab with a team of professionals, comprising a psychic, an action hero, a woman etc, on her tail. Sil's ultimate goal is to reproduce, and to complete that aim she must find a man. So basically, what we have here is a sexy, horny, naked chick being chased around before she can have sex with someone. Sounds good to me...

I'm not quite sure how director Roger Donaldson managed it, but he's managed to get quite a few names to appear in his film; and most of them do well with their roles. Despite the fact that she probably isn't really, Natasha Henstridge looks clean and pure in the lead role; and this both ensures that she looks the part, and the film is great in that it carries off the juxtaposition of having a sweet-looking virginal woman act like a prostitute. Ben Kingsley is the biggest cast surprise, as the former Ghandi actor looks slightly out of place in a B-movie like this. Michael Madsen is absolutely great in his typecast action hero role and the cast is completed by a memorable performance from Alfred Molina, and a rather annoying one from Forest Whitaker. Marg Helgenberger fails to make much of an impression as Madsen's love interest. The two plots that run concurrently are played out well, and climax nicely. The special effects are key in a film like this, and even though they're cheap throughout - they do look fairly realistic. It's not until we get to the end and the director decides to spoil it with some abysmal CGI that the effects become a problem. But even so, Species takes its plot well and isn't too serious, and I've got to rate this as a really fun flick overall.

Species, for its time, was an extremely well executed Sci-Fi Thriller, with action packed WoW-in special effects work. It is extremely underrated as most people's first recollection was that they were taken aback at how much skin Henstridge's shows throughout the movie. I mean, c'Mon... she's a horny alien, trying to propagate, for chrissake... and yes, your husband was thinking about alien sex later that night with you, ladies.

Okay, I'm losing my train of thought, let alone my focus...; This is what most people do when you bring up this movie, most viewers soon forget how awesome, by definition of the term... that the movie really is, and therefore, it's NOT just some trashy R-rated B-movie, like so many were from the mid '80s to the early '90s.

The story balance is very well kept from beginning, with solid character development... throughout the crazy plot, to the climax, and quickly to a unexpected, yet fitting finale. Natasha played the role to a "T", with her almost, perfect appearance, and bright, and justly glowing & huge green, also already (alien-ish), eyes.

Action scenes, and special effects are top notch, as is standard execution by Steve Johnson, who created costumes, robotic structures, prosthetics and effects for this and a cache of blockbusters like Spider-Man 2 (Easily arguable as the pinnacle of the trio), War of the Worlds, the 1989 classic - The Abyss... and definitely not to be unlisted here, Pet Semetary II, the best one in my opinion, and a personal favorite scary thriller of this reviewer. Sorry for the TLDR; run-on movie-geek splashing there.

Check out those Green eyes: http://tinyurl.com/6hntl7q

Overall, Species follows the winning recipe for great Sci-Fi Action Thriller, by combining great complimentary casting in Kingsley, Whitaker, and Molina, oh, and Micheal Madsen... shoot! That's a Sci-Fi cast, what? Something must've smelled good, right! :oD

The acting and follow-through by scriptwriters from story-2-screen, showed balance... extremely important for movies of this genre. It also stands up to the test of time, which for many of these Special FX Blockbusters, expected to explode all over the tail-bone of a 3-day weekend release for maximum payoff and publicity, it usually does NOT hold true. I'm gonna watch this right now! AND, I want you to watch it again for the 3rd time, but you need to pay for it; you can even watch it on Amazon... see the free preview on IMDb first and get your mouth watering for "'Ol Green-Eyes gonna get ya!" - Sir SmokeAlot.

Reruns on FX while cooking dinner for the kids doesn't count. Get your Netflix, OnDemand, Hulu, Meebo, Boxee, Apple Video, Torrent, Direct Download, or Newsbin on ASAP on a cold dark 'n scary night. Don't get raped by a ha-wt-bodied alien sex machine!