Life

Starring: Jake Gyllenhaal, Rebecca Ferguson, Ryan Reynolds, Hiroyuki Sanada, Ariyon Bakare
Directed by: Daniel Espinosa
Rating: R
Genre: Horror, Thriller, Science Fiction
2017

Times Seen:
Tim: 1

Summary: Scientists on board the International Space Station must fight for survival after reviving a Martian lifeform that soon threatens their existence.

Review:

Tim: Life is a pretty fascinating science fiction horror film. While it's a far cry from the best of the genre (Alien, for example), it's still far more effective than many (Event Horizon, for instance). This is a solid sci-fi horror movie- one that impressed me. When you see movies like this come out, the default is to not expect too much. Thankfully, this proved a worthwhile film.

What's interesting about this movie is that although they assembled a strong cast, the film never really felt like it was all about the cast. Jake Gyllenhaal, Rebecca Ferguson, and Ryan Reynolds are good, but this movie is really all about Calvin. Normally this would be a big issue, but it works within the context of this film. The whole cast work well- they're mostly believable as astronauts and we're given enough insight into their characters to actually care about them. I didn't love any of their characters, but the movie is determined that we'll at least understand who they are. Sometimes this is done a little too overtly, but it's undeniably effective- I didn't want any of the crew to die. That's pretty rare. While I would have loved to have unforgettable characters, the fact that we care about them at all is a big achievement and it's a reason this film works so well. Gyllenhaal, Ferguson, and Reynolds are all strong actors and bring enough to their characters so that connect with them. The supporting cast does the same, Hiroyuki Sanada chief among them. You can't discount how important this was to the overall film. So, while we may not truly love these characters, we do become invested in them.

That investment is important, because to some extent, they are all overshadowed by Calvin. Giving the alien a human name was a brilliant movie, because we start humanizing it. It becomes a character, like everyone else- not just a nameless monster. The depiction of Calvin and his evolution was extraordinary. It's easily the most fascinating, memorable aspect of the film. I didn't care about any of the characters as much as I cared about seeing what Calvin was up to and what he would do next. It was often riveting to watch him (disturbing, as well). Calvin is another big reason why Life surpasses expectations.

The special effects are decent. Calvin looks great and the rest of the space station was depicted well enough to not appear cheap. We certainly don't have Gravity level effects here, but it was solid enough not to detract from the story.

I do have to make a comment- on the DVD, there's a quote from some critic that basically says there's an ending "you will never see coming". That excited me because I love endings like that. I have to say that the ending is somewhat predictable, but it's really cool. The film would have been better without setting those unrealistic expectations on the cover, but I still give the movie great credit for a memorable conclusion.

Life is an entertaining, solid science fiction horror film. I enjoyed the movie and would easily recommend it.

Rating 1-10
Tim's Rating- 7



If You Enjoyed This Movie, We Recommend: Alien, Gravity, Moon, Event Horizon