Verdict
Summary
Alien Outpost does what it says on the tin. We have a few alien battles, explosions, and some great interpersonal stories. It also has a nice post credits scene that really sells the true feeling of heading into a battle-zone. What this film lacks in budget, it more than makes up for in performances and is definitely worth a viewing.
Plot: Two documentary cameramen embedded in an army unit in the most hostile place on earth, an outpost surrounded by the last remaining alien fighters (Heavies) of an invading attack force. The world may have forgotten about the Outposts, but the Heavies are planning the second invasion of Earth and the soldiers are the only ones who can stop it.
Review: This was a film that caught me a bit off guard. The trend nowadays for a ‘first person’ or ‘found footage’ movie, seems to mean low budget and barely worth your time. Alien Outpost manages to break that stereotype quite nicely. With solid performances and unlike it’s contemporaries, not enough shaky cam to induce vomiting, this film is a nice mix of Battle: Los Angeles and Saving Private Ryan.
We join the film post alien invasion. Earth’s forces have fought off most of the alien invaders with just a few factions left in the Iranian desert. Two journalists are embedded with troops who are on their way to Outpost 37, the base that sees the most fighting with the remaining aliens, dubbed ‘Heavies’. The budget restraints are evident with the cgi ‘Heavies’, but that does not detract from it being a good story as their appearance is only a small part of this ensemble buddy piece. (Dodgy aliens never effected the stories of Doctor Who etc.)
A nice touch the filmmakers use are flashback interviews with each of the soldiers they are traveling with. This is where the actors performances really shine. It is easy to be the big tough soldier type when given limited material, but when they are one on one describing their experiences, every role is spot on and very much sells the documentary feeling. Having said that, a real standout is that of Spears, played by Canadian actor Rick Ravanello. As the commander of Outpost 37, he plays the rough and tough commander but never does it feel over the top. He is stern but fair and rips up the scenery with his tough as nails performance, never entering into cliche territory. Director Raisani has a visual effects background and he definitely know how to play to his strengths.
Overall, Alien Outpost does what it says on the tin. We have a few alien battles, explosions, and some great interpersonal stories. It also has a nice post credits scene that really sells the true feeling of heading into a battle-zone. What this film lacks in budget, it more than makes up for in performances and is definitely worth a viewing.