# Species II (1998)

### reviewed by
Jerry Bosch

    SPECIES 2

    It was bound to happen.

My son and I share a perverse predilection for bad movies. We are amused and entertained by the cheap thrills, the corny dialog, the ludicrous premises and the bad acting. Since other family members aspire to higher forms of entertainment, we usually wind up indulging our proclivity together. I can't remember when we disagreed on the relative merits of a clunker until SPECIES 2 came along. He was not amused. I on the other hand was able to easily suspend the applicable requirements in the usual manner and declare myself suitably entertained. Perhaps the evident skills that were brought to the process of producing a bad product was what prevented him from extracting fun out of mediocrity. I on the other hand appreciated the fact that the producers and director knew exactly what they were doing: insulting my intelligence, and brought adequate movie-making skills to the project A movie does not have to be good to be well made, at least in terms of the craft.

The movie could have been better if it were not so brusque. This movie slaps you with conception, pregnancy, delivery and young childhood in consecutive frames, without pausing for infancy. The producers of NESCAFE have nothing on this alien race in which a woman's womb balloons immediately after the male orgasm, and a few seconds later a young child tears its way out of her abdomen in a sloppy and gory version of an inside-out Cesarean.

An autopsy scene in which a buzz saw cuts through the cranium was not the kind of indulgence that I condone, to say nothing of the fact that it was scientifically incorrect. In a real autopsy the saw does not cut through the scalp; it is used only after the skull has been exposed.

The opening sequences of exploration of Mars were very good. The writers showed excellent skills for ceremonial speech writing but the spontaneous dialogue would qualify for a subtitle: `As Bad As It Gets'. As the movie progressed I vowed to remember the lines that made me cringe but only one stuck. Eve (Natasha Henstridge) was cloned from Sil, the original alien sexual predator, but her mating instinct was artificially attenuated, which was all that was needed to turn her into a noble and cooperative prisoner. In a wistful display of resignation and understanding she tells her friend and jailer (Marg Helgenberger): `I think of all the places that I will never see and all the people that I will never meet.' It's enough to melt the most callous heart. At another point she protests: `I'm human too, you know.' She is only half right.

Peter Medak, the director, knows his business. Justin Lazard as the doomed astronaut does nothing to enhance his Hollywood credentials. James Cromwell, his father, is perfect in a short role. Marg Heldenberger, the DNA scientist is pleasant and beautiful. Natasha is an exquisite ornament. George Dzunza knew and delivered what was expected of him as the dumb general that messes things up. Michael Madsen was there. Black buddies do not usually survive in this type of movie but Mykelti Williamson manages to stay around for the final credits, which is more that we can say for Lazard..

    I gave it 2 stars out of 5; my son gave it ½.

    Jerry

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