Species II (1998)
Director: Peter Medak Cast: Natasha Henstridge, Justin Lazard, James Cromwell, Marg Helgenberger, Michael Madsen, George Dzundza Screenplay: Chris Brancato Producers: Frank Mancuso Jr. Runtime: US Distribution: MGM Rated R: strong sexuality, sci-fi violence/gore, language
By Nathaniel R. Atcheson (nate@pyramid.net)
I find it a marvel that Species II was even made. Species was, perhaps, the most disappointing film of 1995: it was (and still is) nothing more than a long, violent, and unoriginal excuse to show off Natasha Henstridge's anatomy in various flattering positions. And, as far as I could tell, most people agreed with my position on that film. It did make about $60 million in domestic markets, so I suppose it wasn't a total flop. However, it doesn't seem like the kind of picture that warrants a sequel. Most sequels are shoddy remakes of critically acclaimed box-office successes. Species II, however, is a sequel to a critically lambasted film of marginal box office success.
And, almost miraculously, it is a better film than the original. It's goofy in a lot of the same ways, but the story is more interesting (and stays interesting through the end, unlike the original film), the acting is better, and the film is more exciting. It's not a great film--it does suffer from numerous cliches of the genre, and lacks in other areas; but it's an exciting and watchable film. In other words, it's a big surprise. Actually, my expectations of Species II were so low that, in retrospect, I suppose a pleasant surprise like this was inevitable.
The film begins with all-American astronaut Patrick Ross (Justin Lazard) landing on Mars to pick up soil samples. It turns out that the vile alien DNA that created the alien in the first film, Sil, is in this soil. Naturally, Patrick gets infected with the DNA. The hook of the Species series is that the aliens are really big on procreation: they constantly crave violent and athletic sex. And the sex always ends in the bloody birth of a new alien child. In Species II, these birth scenes are even more gory: the women Patrick takes to bed inflate like balloons, and subsequently their stomachs explode so the small human-looking aliens can emerge. Of course, it's almost a direct rip-off from the Alien birth sequences, but it didn't bother me too much.
The government, it turns out, is growing another alien to study. This one is named Eve, and is played by Henstridge. When Patrick returns from Mars, he and Eve develop a bond so strong that all they think about is sex. And, for everyone going to see this film for a shot of Henstridge in the buff, you won't be disappointed. (It makes me wonder if this entire film was created just as an excuse to show us her breasts.)
I liked the special effects. It's interesting to see good old models instead of digital stuff, but I imagine this will be one of the last films to use them. And the obligatory big-alien battle in the conclusion is surprisingly well-done. Lately, we've had a few really irritating conclusions that feature big, poorly-animated aliens; Lost in Space and Mortal Kombat: Annihilation come to mind. Species also has a scene like this, but this sequel beats out all the contestants. The alien looks great, and the battle is well-choreographed.
The acting here is also fun to watch. Michael Madsen and Marg Helgenberger reprise their roles from the first film, and they both do a good job. Henstridge is entertaining (though I don't really think she can act). I especially liked Lazard as the bad alien, but I wondered what James Cromwell was doing in the small, useless role of Patrick's father. The characters, overall, suffer from the same element that most sci-fi and action characters suffer: they aren't very interesting.
The film, overall, is pretty formulaic. It doesn't do anything out of the ordinary, and many of the death scenes are needlessly graphic (and sometimes unintentionally funny). And it ends with that awful "It still isn't over!" cliche. Nonetheless, I enjoyed the film. Species II is exciting, and it has a flash of intelligence and interest that most entries into this genre lack entirely. And the very fact that it exceeds its predecessor is a feat in itself.
**1/2 out of **** (6/10, C+)
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Nathaniel R. Atcheson
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