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Skyline (2010)

Rating: 1 1/2 Stars (out of 4)

Alien Frustration

By Jeffrey M. Anderson

Directed by brothers Colin and Greg Strause (Aliens vs. Predator: Requiem), Skyline has an immediate low-budget feel, since the story takes place in a big city and has a tiny cast of only vaguely recognizable actors. When the movie focuses on these human characters, it feels like there's very little at stake. None of them feel like real people, and none of them share any onscreen chemistry.

Jarrod (Eric Balfour) and Elaine (Scottie Thompson) fly to Los Angeles to visit Jarrod's old friend Terry (Donald Faison), who works as a special effects man in the movie business. They throw a wild birthday party for Terry, who cheats on his girlfriend (Brittany Daniel) with his assistant (Crystal Reed). That night, huge alien spaceships attack the city and begin abducting humans by literally sucking them up into the sky. More, smaller alien probes begin scouring the city, using special lights to hypnotize the victims. Can our five heroes survive by hiding out in Terry's apartment, or should they try to make a run for it? Better still, can they discover the reason for the attack?

Then, when the aliens attack, things should get more interesting, but the cheap-looking CG effects -- and creatures cobbled together from a dozen other movies -- make even the boring humans look interesting. The movie tries not to lay all its cards on the table right away, but in hiding certain information, things only become more illogical. (The aliens' behavior doesn't always make sense.) Overall though, the combination of giant cheesy monster attacks and half-baked characters may procure the movie a cult/camp following.


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With: Eric Balfour, Scottie Thompson, Brittany Daniel, Crystal Reed, Neil Hopkins, David Zayas, Donald Faison, Robin Gammell, Tanya Newbould, J. Paul Boehmer
Written by: Joshua Cordes, Liam O'Donnell
Directed by: Colin Strause, Greg Strause
MPAA Rating: PG-13 for sequences of intense sci-fi action and violence, some language, and brief sexual content
Running Time: 92 minutes
Date: November 12, 2010
Please also see my more in-depth review at Common Sense Media
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