51 (2011)

Very well executed

Overrated

Fun premise, good actors, bad writing. This film seemed to have potential at the beginning but it quickly devolves into a trite action film. Ultimately it's very boring.

It's an amazing and heartbreaking story.

Yet another film with an escaped alien chasing people around an underground complex. This one however throws in a couple of changes to the usual formula by having a few different aliens, your two usual killing machines plus one shape changing individual who can take the form of anyone it touches. Just so the film can copy scenes from the Thing as well as Aliens.This is all based in Area 51, where some nosy journalists are invited to look around the non-alien part of the complex. You got your straight laced journalist and the web-based smart arse journalist, looking for the 'truth'. I wouldn't quite dwell on any characters here though, as halfway through their tour the aliens escape and that's when the fun begins.The story might be generic, but at least there's plenty of gore to keep you awake. Folks are torn to bits, shot, have their faces torn off and even have their heads stamped on, so the film has that going for it. It's always quite fast paced, so it'll do as a not bad time waster. Not a lot of CGI which was a good thing. If you skip it, you won't have missed much.

Granted access to Area 51, a group of journalists attempting to explore the site's restricted areas are suddenly forced to help the resident patrols help them track down the escaped alien held at facility when it gets loose and terrorizes the base.Overall this one here wasn't all that bad and definitely had some fun to it. When this one gets going with the creature on the loose running throughout the military base is when it really gets the most out of this one with the fact of really generating the absolutely enjoyable stalking and hunting scenes throughout the mid-point in here. There's a big sense of familiarity with them using the motion- tracker devices and the crawling around corners pointing guns off into the distance while the curved spiny tail of the creature pokes through the chest of the intended victim, yet the high-energy action and creepy situations this enters into during these sequences more than makes up for some of those minor issues throughout this part as the film. There's some even more fun to be had from the big action confrontations here along the way with the group going after the deformed creature throughout the upper stages of the base where it really begins picking off the remaining soldiers which allows some great gore and action into the mix along with the rather enjoyable fun of the creature's make-up and costume. While these here give this one a fun time, this one does suffer somewhat when it gets to the rather bland sci-fi leanings in the first half. The scenes of the group going around the base with blasé history lessons that don't mean anything to anyone really makes this struggle to get going, and by also showing the different gadgets and special tools throughout here that showcase the extraterrestrial powers of the creatures here this sci-fi tone in here makes for a rather disjointed time. The aliens battling each other as well isn't all that impressive with them just holding their hands out which looks silly and stupid. Along with the minor familiarity in several scenes, these here hold this one down.Rated R: Graphic Violence and Language.

I first found out about Area 51 in the mid nineties as the height of the X-Files' fame. Area 51 is the codename given to a section of land in the Nevada desert in America. Allegedly, it contains the remains of crashed UFOs etc. I always thought it would make a good movie. I still think it would - the emphasis being that it would make a GOOD movie. Sadly, this is no good.Er, where do I begin? The cheap special effects? The shoddy acting? The wafer-thin characters? The ludicrous plot holes? It's all there - unfortunately.Basically, what you have here, is a made-for-TV movie, i.e. wobbly sets, unknown actors and not much more.Bottom line - it's just short of okay. Some people may like it, but not many. There are so many better alien films out there - like 'Alien' for example.Plus side - the leading lady is cute (that's probably more a plus point for the guys - I can see too many women swooning over sci-fi stalwart Bruce Boxleighter).Oh, well, never mind. I may have wasted an hour and a half of my life, but it was still more entertaining than a Transformers movie.(and, who gave this film 5/5 on Amazon? they serious must be taking the pi...)

I was actually interested in seeing 51 because I like movies with aliens in if they're done well. Sadly, 51 wasn't done well at all in my opinion. It is not the worst movie I've ever seen, but it is one of the laziest with its far from stylish or mood-enhancing editing and, with the rip offs of The Thing and Aliens, its unoriginality.What also spoilt it for me was the complete lack of suspense and tension, it was just dull in the pace(the 90 minutes 51 is felt twice as long to me) and derivative in its execution instead. Add to that cheesy dialogue, shallow characters that I didn't give a toss about and some of the most phoned-in acting I've seen in a while, and you already have a bad movie.And need I mention the unexciting and very predictable story in that I could smell how it was going to end a mile off, and clichés so many and so frequent that I could write a book on them? Overall, a lazy and dull mess. 1/10 Bethany Cox