Species 2 (1998)

I didn't think the original movie "Species" was all that great

that they had to make a sequel. But those big Hollywood mansions take a lot of upkeep I guess. This is worse than the original, and the original wasen't all that good. Natasha is ok, not really all that, but she was naked in a few scenes so I guess the guy's liked that. Might be a good movie if a ballgame gets cancelled because of rain. Enjoy! September 8, 2008

Classic B-Movie Territory

A handsome astronaut returns to earth from a mission to mars, only now he has been infected by an alien organism with an urge to procreate and the astronaut's hero status makes it easy for him to find willing females who have no idea what they're in for. Meanwhile, a female alien (produced from genetic material of the 1st film's creature) has been created in a secret government lab and she, feeling the male alien's presence, is feeling the urge to mate.

The original "Species" was a fun little flick with a relatively unknown but talented cast of actors who played off of each others' characters remarkably well. This, I feel, made that movie a minor hit, and deservedly so. Unfortunately, the movie also suffered from a weak ending that was no doubt written to pave the way for sequels. Such a thoughtful build-up demanded something other than the typical B-movie climax that it got.

This film, on the other hand, makes absolutely no attempt to hide its B-movie pedigree but revels in it instead. I think this may have thrown off many viewers who were expecting something more akin to the first film. I've noticed that many viewers react with hostility when caught off-guard by a movie that embarasses them, and this one will definitely make you want to take a shower when you're done with it. Unabashedly lurid and sleazy, it will appeal to horror fans mostly, while the more mainstream types who like their films a little more sanitized and less "down-and-dirty" will be turned off. The first one was a movie you and your date could both enjoy while this movie is the one you surreptitiously take up to the video store counter when you're certain nobody in line will recognize you. Being a B-movie lover, I was pleasantly surprised with the 50's style sci-fi story line as well as the copious amounts of gratuitous nudity and grisly violence mixed together in a rather disturbingly callous fashion. The capable cast played it straight-faced, which was a rather nice touch and it had a much stronger climax than the original (no pun intended).

No, it isn't "Citizen Kane", but I think many of these less-than-impessed reviewers here would have a totally different opinion of "Gladiator". Let me say this: I loved "Gladiator", but remember that despite its big budget and awesome cast, it was just a typical, historically inept sword-and-sandal flick, literally; The producers comprised that film from their favorite scenes from several old italian gladiator flicks, the gladiator routines didn't even make an attempt at authenticity, the history was cock-eyed and even the latin seen in it was atrocious. Not that I'm slamming it, just pointing out that there is far less difference between what the plebs consider "high-brow" and "low-life" than their pretensions would indicate. And speaking of these movies not being "Citizen Kane", neither was the first "Species", despite what some cultists might have you believe.

Bottom line, just pull the broomstick out of your [...] and you may manage to enjoy this one for what it is: a grindhouse monster movie, and nothing more. May 17, 2008

Worst Movie Ever?...not really but it's pretty close

This sequel to the 1995 smash hit species doesn't even come 1 inch close to its predecessor. The original is no masterpiece but this sequel becomes one cheesy parody of itself. Both Natasha Henstridge and Michael Madsen reprise their roles form the previous entry; but somehow it feels they just came for the paycheck. The acting is bad, and so is the dialog. The movie starts out pretty good with a mission to mars gone bad. But along the way it becomes so ridiculously stupid that the only way it can be enjoyed is to take it as a comedy. the only good thing this movie has to offer is the special-effects, which are pretty convincing but other than that this is just one major disappointment. Some people claim this is the worst movie ever... Well trust me there are much worse movies out there. Just watch uwe bowle or ulli llomel's films (if they can be called films) and you will se what bad really is. Anyhow this is a bad movie but can be enjoyed as a parody.

MY PERSONAL RATING 1 ½ OUT OF 5
December 3, 2007

Technical Defects Abound

I did not see the prequel and got this video at a garage sale. I was diappointed. The script had some technical defects, like the Eve being contained in isolation so that she avoids "contact with males" so as to not have her sexual nature stimulated, but she is allowed to watch the "Dukes of Hazard" on TV! There is also a scene where she breaks out of her confinement clearly wearing an item of clothes that does not appear in another scene and with no time in between to change her clothes to explain it (there is only a chase scene inbetween). It was also hard to believe that the main character could have his memory intact after his head gets blown off completely and a new head replaces it. I find it hard to suspend disbelief when these kinds of inconsistencies appear in a movie. It also makes me feel that some unnecessary sloppiness went into the production. The special effects were decent but very gory. There is something strangely comedic about the sexual scenes in the middle of all the gore and tentacles, but I do not think it was intended. If it was a comedy, the gore made it hard to take it on this level. January 30, 2006

The movie director must have had some bad days.

My guess is, that the director has said, right before he started the movie; "Okay we have a okay budget, access to some.. sometimes okay special effects and some okay good actresses, but you have to do your job just as bad as the story is and if you have anything clever to say about making the movie good, then please leave".

I just don't get it! It would be so easy to make a good movie out of it! Well first of all, you probably have to a get little different version of the story and another movie director...but it would be so easy!

Just a thing like this! Eve want's to escape, so she jumps through the prison window. Okay Miss Eve is well powerfull, but she doesn't have to be, because it isn't made of bullet-proof Plexiglas. Nope, it explodes in thousands like very thin glass. Noooo it can be glass because they can't be so naïve in military security. But bullet-proof glass doesn't explode, so it must be a bad movie director!
January 14, 2006

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