Anyone who watched last year’s season of “Project Greenlight” knows that this movie was meant to be released a long time ago. However, the powers that be decided against a mainstream release and instead went straight to video. And I’m a bit disappointed in that decision because I think this movie WOULD have made some money because it’s genre (horror) is so popular nowadays.
Directed by one of Greenlight’s contest winners, quirky John Gulager, it’s the story of a dozen or so bar patrons who are attacked by vicious alien creatures for no apparent reason whatsoever. Written by the winners of the “Project Greenlight” screenwriting contest, it was mildly funny and decently written. Certainly it was no “Alien”, but few alien movies can aspire to be that good.
Given the limited budget for the movie (I think in the end they got $2M to make the movie?) the special effects team did an outstanding job. Yes, some of the effects were totally fake, but when you KNOW that fact, it allows you to suspend belief that much more. The aliens were truly freaky looking, so kudos to the team for that one.
The cast was good – Bathazar Getty, Navi Rawat (from ‘Numbers’), Krista Allen, Judah Friedlander (now on ’30 Rock’) and even Eric Dane (now Dr. McSteamy on ‘Grey’s Anatomy’) had a minor role. Jason Mewes plays himself in the movie, which cracked me up.
John Gulager did a great job directing. Watching “Project Greenlight” last year I had my doubts about him, but he pulled it off – a fun monster movie.
3 1/2 shot glasses out of five.