MGM released this direct-to-video sequel last week, which retains the gore and sex content of the earlier films, but sacrifices pace, scope and excitement. Picking up where the putrid SPECIES II left off, half-breed alien Eve (Natasha Henstridge in a small wordless cameo) dies giving birth to a beautiful blond girl who is snatched by mad scientist Rob Knepper and skirted away to his university home. Sara, who grows into a sexy young woman (Sunny Mabrey--good luck being taken seriously as an actress with a moniker like that) within a few days, seems at ease roaming around Knepper’s house in the buff, while the mad doc attempts to use her DNA to, I don’t know, something for the greater good, I suppose. Knepper and his college student sidekick Robin Dunne aren’t evil, just greatly misguided, as so many movie scientists are, messing around in alien DNA where they have no business. TV director Brad Turner does a poor job of recapping the first two films, so you may not realize that the other aliens who stop by occasionally to fight Sara are her half-siblings spawned in SPECIES II. Considering the small budget, the gore and CGI effects are reasonably well done, while the vapid Mabrey and the much sexier Amelia Cooke (who has sex in a restroom with a typically mulleted Rick Dean) provide an excellent skin quotient. Room is left at the end for another sequel, although it’s hard to see where MGM could take the franchise from here. Also with Mike Warren (HILL STREET BLUES) and Christopher Neame (DRACULA A.D. 1972).
I watched the unrated version, which apparently is a minute longer. I would imagine much of the Cooke/Dean tryst, as well as a few bloody effects are what were trimmed for the R-rated cut.
I had no idea this was even out. Just a few weeks ago it debuted on the Sci-Fi Channel so I figured a DVD release was coming a few months down the line. The photos in Fangoria were incredibly gory so I will check it out on 99 cent Tuesday.
OK, I'll admit it...
I saw this yesterday, courtesy of NetFlix. I gotta say, it wasn't NEARLY as horrible as I thought it would be, but the low-budget computer generated effects really "cheapened" the movie for me. Also, the pacing weas a bit poor and the sub-plot (with the hybrid aliens) was a tad head scratching.
It was certainly chock full of nauseating gore effects (both latex and compter generated) and had it's fair share of "icky" slurping sound effects.
I had a pretty good time with it up until about the 50 minutes mark... from there I lost a bit of interest, but all in all, it was worth a rental on a wet afternoon.
:: the low-budget computer generated effects really "cheapened" the movie for me.
I can't imagine they could cheapen it much more than the horrendously awful digital effects in the first SPECIES cheapened that film.
Vincent