Dir. Jason Connery, 90 mins, USA, 2011
Cast. Bruce Boxleitner, John Shea, Jason London, Rachel Miner
Review by Michelle Moore
51 is the latest film to be released from the After Dark Originals brand and covers a topic that many of us have spent time pondering over at some point in the past (and present).
Area 51 has become known as a place of secrecy surrounding extra-terrestrials and alien spacecraft. Do they exist, do they not? 51 examines what happens when the Air Force allows two reporters limited access to the base. One of the base’s ‘long-term’ inhabitants uses this to their advantage, breaking free and liberating several other alien captives in the process, Area 51 is transformed from a secure government base into an area of terror, horror and bloodshed.
The story is not as effective as one might had hopped for when reading it on paper. Aliens attempting to escape after years of captivity at a military base sounds exciting, full of action and enjoyment, particularly if horror/sci-fi films about carnage & aliens make for the better part of your DVD collection.
Unfortunately, there is very little that really grasps your attention and makes you want to view with eyes wide open. In terms of creativity, the appearance of the extra-terrestrials, there is nothing original or innovative. There are a mother and baby with typical Alien (1979) like features, scales and pointed limbs that can slice through a body like a knife.
There is a talking operative alien that works alongside the military with the intention of sending the other aliens home (think Paul but slightly less humanoid and less friendly looking) and lastly a shape shifter that can change their image to look like any other humanoid – confusing as you can image when anyone gets into a bit of a tussle with it and it changes its appearance.
The cast chosen to play these military experts are not the typically strong, strict and solitary characters that you may expect. In fact they seem shy and quite clueless when it comes to the premises in which they work; one character doesn’t even have combat experience (London’s character, Aaron Schumacher).
Although 51 may not be everything you hoped it could have been, there are a few moments of impressive camera work, such as the test for shape-shifter by shining a light into their eyes, which then leads into another team of military men patrolling yet another undefined level of Area 51 with torch light. This was simple, yet impressive in its surroundings. After a viewing of 51, it does leave a viewer pondering over several intriguing and very important questions. What really does happen inside Area 51? Are there actually aliens and life forms from outer space living on our planet? If so, what do they look like?
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