Movie Review: Alien Apocalypse (2005 TV)

     As previously related in the review of the pathetic flick The Man with the Screaming Brain, actor Bruce Campbell struck what many observers considered to be a questionable deal with producer Sam Raimi. Campbell would have starring roles in several low budget productions made by either Sam Raimi or some of Raimi's friends. One such production is the made for TV movie at hand, Alien Apocalypse that premiered on the Sci-Fi Channel earlier this year and is now out on VHS and DVD.

     Alien Apocalypse is a piece of hack work. The basic plot has already been used in numerous flicks before and will likely be used in many more movies. Essentially, this made for TV movie is about astronauts Ivan Hood (Bruce Campbell) and Kelly (Renee O'Connor) who return to Earth after a space mission only to discover that in the meantime, aliens from outer space who look an awful lot like giant termites have invaded and taken over the world. Their reason for doing so is that they are attracted by Earth's bountiful forests and the aliens' home planet is almost all out of wood. Now it is up to Hood and Kelly to lead the oppressed human population in a bloody uprising to overthrow the evil alien conquerors.

     In the advertising for Alien Apocalypse that ran on the Sci-Fi Channel, this TV flick was promoted as being a comedy. Actually, Alien Apocalypse is anything but that. There are some witty lines but the overall effect is dullness. Bruce Campbell has practically nothing to work with. The ending is flat.

     Basically, the production standards especially the directing and photography are comparable to an episode of the Hercules & Xena TV series that Raimi used to produce. There is plenty of music and stock footage from the Hercules & Xena series in Alien Apocalypse.

     However, the writing lacks the quality that marked the Hercules series. The writing in this TV movie is flawed, stupid and not funny at all.


     The acting in Alien Apocalypse is generally bad. Bruce Campbell looks bored and not interested throughout it. He simply is not at the top of his game here. Renee O'Connor tries her best, but since she has zero talent as an actress, that adds nothing to the movie. When the humans and aliens engage in battle, it is so fake that it is almost painful to watch.

     The level of the makeup and special effects in Alien Apocalypse is low even by Sci-Fi Channel standards. The wigs worn by the humans in this TV movie are downright awful to look at. Some of the fake facial hair looks like it is on the verge of falling off. There is a half-naked girl whose skin is smooth and hairless so much so, when must have a huge quantity of razor blades stashed somewhere.

     Alien Apocalypse is an awful piece of celluloid. It has zero scientific credibility. The aliens supposedly conquered Earth, but whenever we see any combat, the alien’s weapons fail to work and/or are extremely inaccurate. Huge numbers of aliens perish in combat while hardly any humans die in these battles. Alien Apocalypse is a flick that needs to be avoided like the plague.

     Definitely not recommended.