It’s funny to think that a film with a $10 million budget can still be considered a B movie. Back in the day $10 million would have been a fairly significant amount, but these days it’s considered chump change in the motion picture industry, especially when they blow $100 million on a non special effects quest item such as the insufferable “How Do You Know.”
“Skyline” on the other hand, is a gleefully nutty alien invasion flick that goes for broke at every turn while featuring some truly impressive CGI effects that are more than on par with most of Hollywood’s big budget bloat.
Financed solely by the directing team of Colin and Greg Strause without any major studio help, the story concerns a group of people trapped in a Marina Del Ray high rise condo as the city of LA (which never seems to escape any type of global calamity) is besieged by a group of blue lit aliens who aren’t in town to score beer and pussy.
It seems the decidedly unfriendly ETs are interested in chomping on our brain matter, and waste no time sucking up most of the LA residents into giant spaceships for a human brunch. Eric Balfour leads the group (Donald Faison and David Zayas among them) as they try repeatedly to escape the condo only to be thwarted at every turn by the inhuman creatures.
The real stars here (as with any B movie) are the aliens in question, brought to life by some first rate CGI work. Only $500,000 went into the live action photography while the rest went to the effects, and boy does it show! “Skyline” is a great example of having the entire budget up on the screen.
The Strause brothers showcase some astonishing moments throughout the film, including a spectacular air battle (ala “Independence Day”), a nuclear explosion, and some nasty rampaging creatures that will remind you of the Rancor from “Return of the Jedi.” This is money well spent.
Yes, the movie features walking cardboard characters, goofy dialogue, and a plot that grows more ludicrous at every turn, but who cares? This is what a B movie delivers, and you’ll be too busy dropping your jaw in disbelief than worrying if everyone has a proper character arc.
This film is FUN, from the first appearance of the pretty blue lights right up until the unbelievable last shot, guaranteed to have your head spinning.
“Skyline” tanked at the box office last November and was considered one of the worst films of 2010, and that’s too bad. The film might have done better in spring or summer rather than wait until around the holidays when there are too many high brow quest items to contend with.
Hopefully this B flick will find its audience on DVD and garner interest in producing a sequel. You can never have enough blue lit, brain chomping aliens to kick around with on a Saturday night.
“Deeds, not words…”
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