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LIFE | Review

By Jose Jara

This Movie Scared the “LIFE” Out of Me
By: Daniel Guzman

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Film director Daniel Espinosa uses the discovery of new life out in space to scare his audience half to death, and he edoes just that! This space sci-fi film had me at moments needing to grip the armrests at the theater tightly in order to not jump out of my seat. The film takes place out in space, inside an international space station with 6 scientists whose mission is to discover any proof of life on Mars from a recovered space probe. The team is able to awaken a hibernated alien microorganism whom they name Calvin. Calvin quickly goes from adorable to becoming an abomination that threatens the lives of all the scientists onboard, and possibly a pandemic if it reaches Earth.

Director Espinosa does a fine job at engulfing you in deep space alongside these astronauts. The characters are given enough back story to have the audience invested in their lives, so you are empathetic with their possible demise in such nightmarish deaths. Characters like Rory Adams, played by Ryan Reynolds, adds a bit of humor to the movie, but don’t be fooled. This movie is all about making you fidget in your seat and feel uneasy about where Calvin might turn up next. Jake Gyllenhaal plays Dr. David Jordan, who feels more alien on Earth than in space. Jake definitely adds a complexity to his character with his non-verbal mannerisms and genuine emotions.  Actually, everyone in this cast does a great job at selling the audience the fear they are experiencing and makes the film so much more terror filled.

I would say that this film holds a candle to the frightful terror that such a classic as Alien brought to the screens. I wouldn’t foresee a franchise, but this film can stand on its own as a must see sci-fi suspense thriller that is sure to please.