Alien Warfare (1/5) – Netflix Movie Review

Alien Warfare is a new Netflix sci-fi action movie. It’s a low-budget production and could have been a decent spoof. Unfortunately, they’ve gone with a more serious vibe and it falls flat. Still, it does have a few good elements. Find out what they are in this review!

Alien Warfare is a new sci-fi action movie on Netflix. From the opening credits, you will probably get a distinct Sharknado vibe, but that doesn’t really hold up. The effects feel kitsch and a bit off, but it’s not used for a campy purpose – which would’ve helped.

For one, Sharknado had a cast of very familiar faces. Even if most of them were TV actors, they had both name and face recognition to most viewers. Alien Warfare does not have any of that and the cast is a mixed bag. Some of them work really well while others fall as flat as the movie overall.

Also, we get a Predator-style POV from the aliens, but don’t expect to see the actual aliens until halfway through the movie. We won’t do spoilers in this review, so that little tidbit was just to warn you a bit of the pacing in Alien Warfare.

The beginning of Alien Warfare

When Alien Warfare opens, I was very much in doubt of whether this was a spoof or a kitsch style of sci-fi. After a while, I still wasn’t sure, but it was obvious that the actors were told that this is serious business.

Then again, there are several scenes at the beginning of Alien Warfare that give off a “gay porn” vibe. We have very buff men in tight shirts who tend to lean in toward each other. Or just pose in a stereotypical “Check out my bubble butt”-pose. Just saying, I was still in doubt of whether this was a spoof due to this alone.

However, there is no gay porn vibe later on. There is however a very relaxed and positive comment in relation to gays in the military, so I’ll give points for that. It would be so easy to include some dumbass line.

In general, I was very pleasantly surprised at the time spent on character development. And I enjoyed getting to know Mike (Clayton Snyder), Jonesy (Daniel Washington), and Thorpe (Scott C. Roe). Especially Clayton Snyder seems perfect to be an action star with both his build and a tongue-in-cheek attitude.

Unfortunately, I never grew to like the main protagonist, Chris (David Meadows), who just rubbed me the wrong way.

The ending of Alien Warfare

Still, no spoilers for Alien Warfare in this review of the new Netflix sci-fi movie. However, I will reveal that I did not enjoy the final half of this low-budget production. At all. 

Any charm and curiosity the story had ensured, seemed to disappear the more serious the plot became.

The charming vibe you might recognize from 80s action movies was replaced with the boring plot developments of 90s straight-to-video action flicks. Including the one female character, Isabella (Larissa Andrade), who has a very stereotypical look and backstory. 

Again, if Alien Warfare had beefed up the kitsch factor, then it could all have worked so much better.

Also, when the aliens do show up, I was so disappointed with the visuals. I feel like I’ve seen cosplayers with better costumes at almost any ComicCon. Of course, cosplayers at various conventions tend to be pretty impressive, so there’s that.

But still… this was just too low-budget and I can’t help but think other options had been better.

Watch Alien Warfare on Netflix now!

The director of Alien Warfare is Jeremiah Jones. Judging from the first half of the movie, I was pleasantly surprised and liked his style in several areas. However, judging from the last half of Alien Warfare, I was just disappointed.

This is the feature film debut of Jeremiah Jones and it might explain why the pacing and plot development still needs some work. And yet, there is definite potential, but he’s still very much a diamond in the rough.

The script was written by Ben Bailey and Nathan Zoebl. Ben Bailey has worked primarily on short films prior to this movie. Many of them with Nathan Zoebl who also worked on several series productions.

If you enjoy alien movies that have a B-movie low-budget style, then you might enjoy this one. The last half ruined it for me, but I did actually enjoy the first half of Alien Warfare which would have landed at least one grade higher than what the overall rating is at now.

Alien Warfare is out on Netflix in several countries worldwide from April 5, 2019.

Details

Director: Jeremiah Jones
Cast: Clayton Snyder, David Meadows, Daniel Washington, Scott C. Roe, Larissa Andrade

Plot

A team of Navy Seals investigates a mysterious science outpost only to have to combat a squad of formidable alien soldiers.