SPECIES 2 1998
A film review by Timothy Voon
Copyright 1998 Timothy Voon
5 :-( :-( :-( :-( :-( for pure crap
Cast: Michael Madsen, Natasha Henstridge, Marg Helgenberger, Justin Lazard, Mykelti Williamson, George Dzundza, James Cromwell Director: Peter Medak Producer: Frank Mancuso Jr. Screenplay: Chris Brancato
A movie could not suffer more, than if it loses all self-restraint in its direction. As in the case of the overly indulgent, ‘blood and guts' SPECIES 2, all traces of sanity is lost somewhere in the morbid plot. It seems that whoever wrote the script, became fixated with the idea that aliens bursting from the bellies of pregnant women, was a hot topic that would capture the public's interest. Almost every fifteen minutes, there is a scene filled with lurid sex and copulation, soon followed by gestation and ruptured wombs. If ever there were a movie that degrades the value of motherhood, it would be this movie. Having said that, I also felt violated after being pounded with sickening images.
The stars of this movie have been hired for no other purpose than body material, to be manipulated for alien purposes. Michael Madsen is hired because of his pretty face and no doubt for his body, which is entirely wasted on sex scenes. Just as Natasha Henstridge was wasted in the first movie for luring men to their deaths. As for the ‘heroes', they're basically goofy and unintelligent, and overweight ie George Dzundza.
As for killing the alien being, it comes as silly as stabbing somebody's leg with sickle cell anaemia and throwing it at the alien and say die. I actually enjoyed SPECIES, but with SPECIES 2, the makers have unfortunately lost control of boundaries and ventured into a place where nobody wants to go. Excessive sex, excessive violence and excessive in every way and in need of a good mental and psychological re-workup if ever there were to be a SPECIES 3.
Timothy Voon
e-mail: stirling@netlink.com.au
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