Evolution
2001 · Directed by Ivan Reitman
Original language: English
- comedy
- science fiction
- action
The story
A comedy that follows the chaos that ensues when a meteor hits the Earth carrying alien life forms that give new meaning to the term "survival of the fittest." David Duchovny, Orlando Jones, Seann William Scott, and Julianne Moore are the only people standing between the aliens and world domination... which could be bad news for the Earth.
What it’s like
Bright, flat daylight and wide, saturated small-town and desert vistas, with the sun-baked look of early-2000s studio comedy: clean digital images, primary colours on fire trucks and sheriff's cruisers, and plenty of wide two-shots that let the slapstick play out in full view. The score is bouncy and brassy, leaning on quick comic stings and goofy action cues, and the soundtrack is loud with sirens, screams and cartoonish creature noises. Its vibe is breezy, silly and high-energy, a Saturday-afternoon escapade rather than anything moody. The pacing is brisk and episodic, with one gag or chase after another and little time spent lingering on feeling. The emotional register stays light: a mismatched trio of scientists and a bumbling local hero slowly learn to work together, and the banter does most of the emotional work. Intensity is moderate: frequent cartoonish action, creature attacks, explosions and crashes, with some mild crude humour and innuendo, but no real gore and nothing truly frightening. It suits a lazy weekend, a light group watch or a comfort-food movie night, and fits people who want silly sci-fi comedy with a bit of spectacle and no heaviness.
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