Showdown at Area 51

[Jack]

Just caught this on the Sci-Fi Channel last night.  It was actually fairly entertaining (and I was fairly drunk).  Gigi Edgeley (Chiana from Farscape) co-starred in it.  I can't believe the commercials for it didn't feature her at all, it would have probably quadrupled the number of people who would have watched it.  Anyhow, two aliens come to Earth and begin fighting each other using some high tech gizmos and stuff.  One of them is good and wants to save humanity, the other is bad and wants to destroy us and invade our planet.  They're both humans by the way.  Yeah, the special effects budget wasn't all that high.  There's some sort of big thing buried in the ground that is going to release some gas or something and kill us all.  Chiana and the main guy need to stop it with the help of one of the aliens. 

Fun stuff.  Gigi does the tight tank top thing, and looks mahvelous.  The plot moved along pretty well and had it's share of bad movie moments that were worth a chuckle.  Actually it had quite a few of those moments, like at the end when:

SPOILERS

There's this huge invasion fleet of spaceships approaching Earth, but then the poison gas thing is deactivated, so they instantly turn around and go home.  Like, wouldn't it have perhaps made more sense to bring the poison gas thing with them on their ships, instead of prepositioning it on Earth where us humans would have ample opportunity to deactivate it?  Oh well, better luck next time.  You learn something new with every attempted planetary invasion I guess.

[Kester Pelagius]

From my most recent rant posted at: Mise-en-Scene Crypt Blog.

Despite a pretty decent first few minutes in which UFO themed tropes were used to shockingly decent effect this sci-fi original movie quickly hits several speed bumps that shatter any modicum of suspension of disbelief that had been established. Worse the movie quickly careens off the road and runs into a cesspool of moth eaten clichés, threadbare logic, ludicrous plot devices, and the sort of just plain in-your-face ignorance that inflicts mental suffering and anguish that would make baby Buddha weep.

Full rant here.  That said. .

Just caught this on the Sci-Fi Channel last night.  It was actually fairly entertaining (and I was fairly drunk).

Whenever you have to qualify your statement with the caveat of being drunk it's never a good a thing.   

Gigi Edgeley (Chiana from Farscape) co-starred in it.

Yet was nowhere to be seen in the first 39 minutes.

I can't believe the commercials for it didn't feature her at all, it would have probably quadrupled the number of people who would have watched it.

Actually that's what got me to ignore my better judgement and tune in, a commercial that mentioned she was in this.

Anyhow, two aliens come to Earth and<...>

I've since looked this up on IMDB dot com, where it's title is given as ALIEN VS. ALIEN.  That says it all.

The plot moved along pretty well and had it's share of bad movie moments that were worth a chuckle.

I'm sorry but it has to be said. .

No, you were drunk.  It only SEEMED like the 'plot' moved along 'pretty' well because the movie was neither pretty nor had much of a plot.  It was actually quite ludicrous.

But you are right about the bad movie moments.  I'm guessing not even THAT could be dulled by a mere drunken stupor.  And, based on your too lucid comments, you were merely slightly buzzed.  Which is far more than I was.  That's right I tried to watch it stone cold sober!   

 

[316zombie]

kester,are you insane???? it took 4 tallboys for ME to get through it,and i'm not exactly an amazon woman,that's a lot of beer!i admit,i went into fits of hysterical laughter when the ships just..left...it was too funny for words,lol!

[Jack]

That's right I tried to watch it stone cold sober!   

 

Now that took some courage 

[Kester Pelagius]

Courage or lunancy.   

[Doc Daneeka]

So, am I harming myself more by being a teetotaller? I don't care

[Captain Tars Tarkas]

I wish they had kept the original title Alien vs. Alien.

[Dave M]

And worked in some kind of custody dispute sub-plot.

[ghouck]

And worked in some kind of custody dispute sub-plot.

Lol, I hope I'm not the only one that got that joke. . funny. . ..

[Foywonder]

I saw this one on Saturday night, was fully sober at the time, and thought it was an absolute hoot. It's ludicrous alrighty, but it really is pretty fun to watch. Anyone who claims mental anguish after watching this film clearly has a low constitution for cheesy movies and obviously hasn't subjected themselves to many Sci-Fi Channel original movies because I can assure you this was far and away one of the most enjoyably watchable films they aired all year.

[316zombie]

you're not alone ghouck,lol!
not mental anguish,my dear,total boredom for me!well,maybe that IS mental anguish?really,if it had been shorter,or maybe if i saw it without commercials,i'd like it better,but like all scifi originals(excepting tinman),TOO much filler...

[Snivelly]

I watched this one with a friend of mine and laughed hysterically the whole show.  THIS is what a bad movie should be.....crap acting, very little dialogue, cheap CGI effects and plot holes that Godzilla could stomp through.  Serious fun, and I have to admit as bad as it was I'd sit through it again.  But I'd have a bit more alcohol this time.   

BTW, it was great to see Ms. Edgely in something again.  Shame it was such a turkey of a film.

[Foywonder]

Boring? Anyone who thought this was boring, had too much filler, or was generally unwatchable should be strapped down and forced to sit through such other recent Sci-Fi Channel originals as:

EYE OF THE BEAST
CERBERUS
CROC
BLACK HOLE
EARTHSTORM
STAN LEE'S HARPIES
STAN LEE'S LIGHTSPEED
BATS: HUMAN HARVEST
MANEATER
FIRE SERPENT

I'll just stop there. The point being if you think SHOWDOWN AT AREA 51 is intolerable then let me assure you - you don't know what an unwatchable Sci-Fi Channel original movie really is.

[SynapticBoomstick]

Stan Lee's Harpies was a pretty bad movie but what was Lightspeed? Is that the supposed-to-have-come-out Feedback movie? If so, was it as hilarious as I think it is?

I really wanted to see Showdown at Area 51, it sounded like a good, standard way to spend a Saturday night, i even set a reminder for it. I missed it anyway:lookingup:. Not to be offensive or anything but anybody watching Scifi Originals for substance or anything like that is really kinda just watching the wrong channel I love (most) of them for their excessive cheese topping, though I will agree that a few of them are too much for me.

[Foywonder]

STAN LEE'S LIGHTSPEED REVIEW
That link to my review should tell you everything you'll ever want to know about this wretched film.

Oh, and another reason why I can look upon SHOWDOWN AT AREA 51 with a favorable eye:

Feast your eyes upon ALIEN VS. HUNTER!