Genres

Visitors Review

liveformyson 2013-06-10 04:30:38

Unknowlegeable uniform wear

I was unfortunate to turn this on while channel surfing and was hopingsomething was on the SciFi channel. Does the director or anybody on theset not have any Military background??? Air Force uniforms of thatissue, are not authorized to have a white t-shirt to be worn. Directorif you will please check outhttp://www.af.mil/shared/media/epubs/afi36-2903.pdf or the olderAFI/AFR 35-10 for the next time you direct a movie portraying Air Forcepersonnel. If they were wearing the Post 90's olive drab uniform it isacceptable but not in a camouflage uniform. Other than the distractionof the blinding white t-shirt the movie was OK.

2013-06-09 11:36:54

SO SO SCI FI FROM SYFY

Once again the Syfy network has decided to offer an original film via the After Dark franchise. The difference is that this time around they've got a fairly decent flick. It's not Oscar material but it never pretends to be either.Due to the public outcry over secrets being held at what has been called Area 51, the military and top level politicians have decided to allow a couple of journalists in to see that they have nothing to hide. Of course we know they do have something to hide and as we watch base commander Col. Martin (Bruce Boxleitner) explain to his men, the only things these journalists will see is what they want them to.The two journalists are Sam Whitaker (John Shea), a top network news anchor, respected for his in depth investigative pieces and Claire (Vanessa Branch), an online journalists who's blog is the most read news site looking into cover ups. Along with them are their camera people. These four and the Col. head down to the first level where he will allow them to see that there is nothing to hide except a few military secrets.What they don't know is that there is a deeper level to area 51, one that does indeed house not just one but several aliens. For whatever reason these aliens, completely different from one another, are about to break free and seek freedom. Talk about bad timing.The base goes on lockdown and the tour group takes cover where they can. Unfortunately one alien, the big bulky scaly one with claws, seems to enjoy popping heads off soldiers and making blood squirt everywhere. Yes, the costume is pretty bad but it harkens back to the good old man in suit monster movies. It doesn't take itself seriously and it's a good thing.The other alien is a little more difficult to deal with. It has the ability to change form into anyone it touches. Like the film THE THING, we suddenly have an alien who could be any one in the group. So of course they split up every now and then.Topside we have two soldiers with back stories that just don't seem to matter with the exception that both were heralded for bravery or cowardice and now have a chance to redeem themselves (which you know they will before the film ends). The question is can they do so before the entire base is blown sky high and can they stop the aliens from escaping at the same time?As I said earlier, this movie doesn't take itself too seriously. Instead, it's like a classic B movie with plenty of action, enough story to get by and an alien that is rather cheaply made. There's also a twist included near the end but who am I to reveal what little secrets this film has? All in all it's in good fun and for those looking for a short distraction it will do the trick.

Paul Haakonsen 2013-05-28 08:21:00

What a pleasant surprise...

Alright, first of all, don't rear up and get all defensive when you seethe word SyFy here. Despite their endless need to release less thanmediocre TV movies upon the world, then the occasional gem pops outfrom their production line. And "51" is just one of those rareoccasions.We are all familiar with the story behind Roswell, the crash of 1947,and the secret military base known as Area 51, right? Right! Then youare already up to speed with the base story of "51". A group ofreporters are allowed onto the otherwise restricted Area 51 grounds fora tour and to tell the story, when something goes awry. Alien lifeformsescape captivity and threaten all within the Area 51 base. And thestory is a fast-paced story, with lots of action and some suspense aswell.The aliens themselves were actually not too badly made, though therewas a bit too much resemblance to the aliens from the Alien franchisemovies, in regards with their tail and such. But other than that, thenthe aliens actually looked cool. There was sort of a mixture betweenalien and pumpkinhead going on. As for the morpher (shapeshifter), wellthe make-up and effects were good enough. But for me personally, then Iwasn't too keen on the idea that he looked like a featureless humanwith no skin. The concept of 'patient zero' was cool though.As for the cast in "51", well being a TV movie and all, there were nomajor Hollywood blockbuster names, but there were some familiar facesfrom the TV though, such as Jason London (playing Aaron Schumacher),John Shea (playing Sam Whitaker) and a couple more. The people in themovie were doing a fair enough job with their roles, but the movie wascarried by Jason London, in all fairness.I was pleasantly surprised by "51" and being interested in the wholeRoswell and Area 51 thing, this movie was a nice addition to thesubject. It proved to be entertaining and exciting, so thumbs up forthis SyFy movie.

ebiros2 2013-05-27 09:13:35

Nice low budget project

Government is finally ready to admit the existence of Area 51. Co.Martin (Bruce Boxleitner) is receptionist for the news crew. Thepremise is that this is a straight military installation with noconnection to the UFO or aliens. Wrong. Just as the news crew is beinginvited into the low security area of the base, two deadly aliensescapes from their cage. Now it's fight for survival for the news crew,and the members of the base that includes friendly alien called J- Rod.Not a masterpiece by any means. Not even a B movie, but if the movie isreally made with a budget of 1M, it's very well made. The scenes arepretty realistic, and you get a sense that you are in a militaryinstallation.Bruce Boxlaitner was a right pick for the lead role. He was able tocarry the story. If it wasn't for him, the movie would have been atotal flop.The movie could have been better, but I hope the producers will getanother chance with bigger budget next time.

Michael O'Keefe 2013-05-25 23:56:31

Don't set expectations high.

You have to give ScyFy channel credit for trying. Every once in a whilethey do come up with a very good movie...this is not one of them. Youcan tell there was some work on the FX, but good acting is noneexistent. Political pressure forces the Air Force to allow a fewwell-known reporters, namely competitors Sam Whitaker(John Shea)andClaire Fallon(Vanessa Branch). Whitaker is a nightly news reporter;while Fallon is a popular author and news blogger. Along with them acamera crew hoping for the story of a lifetime. What is the governmenthiding at Area 51? Col. Martin(Bruce Boxleitner)is to host limitedaccess to the secretive base, where supposedly aliens from a 1947spaceship crash in New Mexico is being held. The visitors are only tosee what the government is allowing them to see. But during the tour amalfunction in a holding cell lets extraterrestrials to escape, settingoff a battle with special forces. Of course, the news folks getinvolved. Also in the cast: Rachel Miner, Jason London, Lena Clark andAndrew Sensenig.

2013-05-25 08:59:58

Disappointment...

For those considering buying this, I give you fair warning. This is the same Area 51 that was already shown on The SyFy (formerly Sci-Fi) Channel. If you've ever seen any of the original films they broadcast... well... draw your own conclusion. I almost picked this one up, as I have enjoyed plenty of the After Dark offerings. Luckily, I checked out the stills that go along with the listing, and realized what movie it really was.

2013-05-13 21:34:14

Low rent alien dirge, about what you'd expect

51, or Area 51, or whatever you want to call it, is another Sci-Fi Channel co-production (like the cringe-worthy Scream of the Banshee) with this year's After Dark lineup. With that all in mind, you probably already know what you're getting here. Directed by Jason Connery (son of Sean) and featuring genre stalwarts like Bruce Boxleitner, Jason London, Rachel Miner, and John Shea all slumming it here as the fabled military base succumbs to an attack by the aliens they've been keeping prisoner for years, 51 delivers the goods for those looking for low-quality shocks and splatters. It really is better than the sum of its parts however, even with the overly weak acting and occasional unintentional hilarity that arises during some of the action sequences. All in all, 51 isn't the worst flick of this type you'll come across, and that has to count for something I guess in the end.

2013-05-13 14:50:19

best movie ever

this movie is awesome it haslots of gore,lots of creatureviolence,action,horror.and themost important thing, a happy ending.so only do good reviews.

2013-05-13 02:12:59

Truly Dissapointing

Year after year I scoop up and purchase this series in hopes that there will be something semi-good. I thought the first couple of years, this series put out some enjoyable decent little films, but now I just want to scream! Please After Dark, put a little effort before we diehard fans start turning away. 51, Banshee and a few others have really stunk. Now I guess I'll just wait before I run out and buy the next offering. Here is the thing your company needs to understand, we horror fans will support almost anything - as long as there is some kind of effort on your side. Please give us something better than this kind-of made for TV - Syfy Channel reject. I'm begging you... This last entry had me wishing I had watched Leprechaun again - and that stunk - but at least the makers of Leprechaun tried.

TheLittleSongbird 2013-05-12 18:03:46

Lazy and dull

I was actually interested in seeing 51 because I like movies withaliens in if they're done well. Sadly, 51 wasn't done well at all in myopinion. It is not the worst movie I've ever seen, but it is one of thelaziest with its far from stylish or mood-enhancing editing and, withthe rip offs of The Thing and Aliens, its unoriginality.What also spoilt it for me was the complete lack of suspense andtension, it was just dull in the pace(the 90 minutes 51 is felt twiceas long to me) and derivative in its execution instead. Add to thatcheesy dialogue, shallow characters that I didn't give a toss about andsome of the most phoned-in acting I've seen in a while, and you alreadyhave a bad movie.And need I mention the unexciting and very predictable story in that Icould smell how it was going to end a mile off, and clichés so many andso frequent that I could write a book on them? Overall, a lazy and dullmess. 1/10 Bethany Cox

darkwolf2007-1 2013-05-03 16:29:38

Not to shabby

First off I would like to say that I typically enjoy bad movies. TheEvil Dead, Army of Darkness, insert a handful of Sasquatch, zombie, andgeneral horror Titles. No I don't think this movie is as good as Armyof Darkness Of The Evil Dead.Basic Plot: The Aliens held captive in Area 51 decide to break out onthe day some journalists are allowed in.The Acting overall is pretty good for B-Movie Standards and only oneminor character's acting really bugged me. The Aliens are neat, and Ithas a couple good plot twists. I wouldn't call it a true horror moviebut more of an Action movie with some solid SciFi-Horror incorporated. Greatest B-Movie of all time? Not by a long shot. Fun SciFi Alien basedB-Movie? Yep.It's uneven at parts, and sometime the military seems a littlehelpless, but when you step back a look at it as a whole It's not toShabby.

andrew 2013-05-03 02:35:25

A look inside area 51

What a pleasant surprise!I was expecting a tacky TV presentation. I should of had more faith asit starts Bruce Boxleitner (savior of Babylon 5) he as a knack forturning up in some B grade classics. What a treat this was and it leftme wanting more! It just shows you don't need a big budget to make an entertaining SciFimovie. Its a pity the producers of Skyline didn't have the sameaspirations. Rather than doing remakes its time we went back to the classic storytelling of the fifties and just had fun. It doesn't have to have thebest special effects and there will always be plot holes but who cares!Lets just enjoy the adventure and live long and prosper.Well done.

bart-alfvoet 2013-04-29 02:15:57

Worst...movie... ever

Aliens are pretty awesome and gives directors a chance to be creative.No such things here. A mix of wannabe dry humor in dialogues combinedwith extremely mellow action and a poor poor scenario.The aliens are less scary than a bowl of soup and the acting is well...not even worthy being described. The credibility is nowhere and evenThe Killer Tomatoes have more depth than this movie. I can not help butwonder how these actors can look at themselves in the mirror afterseeing this ordeal...I've seen bizarre movies, annoying movies, fascinating movies... andthis. Not horror but horrible.I want my time back

jynx242 2013-04-28 19:48:15

Well - It is exactly what it sets out to be

I really enjoy the cheese factor of SyFy original films. They are thekind that friends and I get together and watch and make fun of. Weoccasionally have "live chats" on the internet while watching them sofriends from all over the country can connect and laugh together.That being said - and taken in that context - this movie was absolutelyfun! Yes - there is a low budget. Yes - the the plot, script, sets, andspecial effects were a little lacking; but it is a SyFy original movieand should be taken in that context. It was a cheesy alien romp thatleft me smiling. Certainly not a great movie, but I was definitelyentertained.

Drago_Head_Tilt 2013-04-21 11:49:16

51

Journalists are permitted to look around the military base in thenotorious Area 51, just to prove that there are no aliens there. But inthe lower levels there are indeed extraterrestrial lifeforms thatescape and kill. One is a faceless humanoid who can replicate anyone(leading to boring who-is-the-alien situations stolen from THE THING),the other a tentacled man-in-a-suit monster (not a bad retro creation,a cross between ALIEN and EVIL SPAWN/WASP WOMAN). Another nice, wisealien is called J. Rod. A very boring Syfy release from the Director ofTHE DEVIL'S TOMB. With Bruce Boxleitner as a Colonel, Jason "whathappened to may career?" London and Rachel Miner as heroic grunts, JohnShea as a famous news anchor and Andrew Sensenig. Mukerjee was alsoCo-Producer.Movie reviews @ spinegrinderweb.com

2013-04-21 07:37:13

trying to be several movies and failing at all of them

Too bad the cast was wasted here, because this movie is trying very hard to be Alien, Hangar 18, and who knows what else...and failing miserably at all of them. Cheesy, cheap, dull, illogical, and more.

mapaxn 2013-04-17 10:09:13

idiotic

Once upon a time, you could turn on the SyFy channel and find*something* entertaining to watch. I remember back when halfway decentmovies like Pitch Black and Dagon were the feature films on weekends.What happened? Why this? There's so much wrong with this I don't evenknow where to start. A handful of competent actors cannot save a badscript, no matter how hard they try. I feel sorry for familiar facessuch as Jason London because these are decent actors looking for workand end up getting sucked into an awful project like this. That's justsad.Like many bad movies, they can't keep it simple enough to be halfwaybelievable. The special affects were funny. The pretentious colonel wasfunny. The stupid background experiences of the soldiers were funny.This could have been a fantastic spoof movie if only it hadn't takenitself so damn seriously.The worst part is the aliens. One had a voice which was clearly stolenfrom those online text-to-audio avatars that speak robotically. I mean,really? Are you THAT cheap that you won't buy a voice distortion box?And the "morpher" with his dub step music - again, REALLY? The make upjob was bad, too. It would have been more believable if Area 51 werereally housing bad genetic projects rather than aliens, but they didn'tthink that far.I shake my head at the thousands of talented scriptwriters that arebeing passed over for crap movies like this. The people that made thismovie should STOP making movies, period. If they can't or won't make aneffort to make a movie even barely watchable, that tells me they haveno respect for themselves or the art of movie making.I am giving this 2 out of 10 instead of 1 out of 10, just because theacting wasn't terrible. Too bad the rest of it was, though.

2013-04-17 04:28:29

About what I expected. Nothing more, nothing less.

*Sheesh!* I don't even know why I'm typing up this review. AREA 51 isn't exactly the kind of film you mention or suggest to people in hard nosed Horror circles. This is the type of corn ball movie that you watch by yourself (ashamed you rented it or watched it on Netflix) during a boring week day. Yet, here you are. Curious as anybody else.There are probably only a few "types" of people who would be interested in the movie AREA 51, or "51" as the main title states. The first type of person is the SyFy Channel, "Monster Of The Week" types who love whatever disposable garbage SyFy is churning out that month. We've all seen these films at the rental and department stores, most of us choosing to avoid them. They usually have ridiculous titles like MONGOLIAN DEATH WORM or MALIBU SHARK ATTACK. For some unknown reason these movies are more popular than ever these days. Even the amazing "king of cheap productions" Roger Corman was involved with the awful film SHARKTOPUS.These movies are terrible for the most part, mainly due to a number of reasons. Bad acting, awful story lines, weak CGI special effects, cheap camera work and a over all sense that your watching something "made for television." These are all the reasons why SyFy has it's laughable reputation. With that being said, I don't want to turn anyone off AREA 51 by giving it SyFy Channel comparisons. At the very least, it is a step above their "made for TV" movies. The only reason I draw comparisons is because SyFy had a hand in the production of this film. That's it.The second "type" of person who would be interested in this movie are the AFTER DARK HORROR FEST (8 Movies To Die For) "Gore Hounds" who have been loyally following their yearly film releases over the course of five festivals thus far. Rightly so, considering the AFTER DARK HORROR FEST is one of the better aspects of the modern Horror revival if you ask me. Most of their films are very well done, beating the living tar out of big budget Hollywood Horror movies hands down! For those fans, I would imagine they would have a natural curiosity about AREA 51. After all, it does seem like the first After Dark Horror movie to be an out right Science Fiction release. Most people don't think about aliens or Area 51 in a Horror world dominated by chainsaw wielding maniacs, wise cracking supernatural slashers and trap setting torture artists.The only other "type" of person I can think of who might be interested in AREA 51 are the individuals that get a kick out of conspiracy theories and Science Fiction in general. In that case, you might as well lump them into the same category as the SyFy crowd. Even if their taste in Science Fiction movies is above the usual dreck that the SyFy Channel is cranking out, it really doesn't matter. I'm just trying to put things into perspective here. In the end, if people want to see this movie, they will. No matter who the audience this film is trying to pander to. In the case of AREA 51, it seems like they're going for the "double dip." Both SyFy and AFTER DARK HORROR fans.So, is this movie any good? Not really. It's actually pretty bad. With that being said, I knew it was going to be a little weak going into it. I didn't expect CITIZEN KANE or anything. So I wasn't really let down at all. For some reason I was inexplicably drawn to this film and I can't say why. I don't enjoy SyFy Channel "made for television" movies (hate them as a matter of fact), so that couldn't have been the reason. I do like the AFTER DARK HORROR FEST films for the most part, so maybe that played a small part in my unknown interest. Also, I like the idea of aliens being utilized in a scary "B Movie" scenario. Kinda' like INVADERS FROM MARS. With the movie AREA 51, you more or less get that.The story is simple. Over the years, there has been much public scrutiny about the secretive base Area 51. This has caused a media out cry, forcing the government to allow a few civilians (mostly news reporters and journalists) in the military base to film and expose it's secrets. If there are indeed any to begin with. Needless to say, the soldiers there have a different agenda of their own and don't plan on showing them anything classified. They tell the reporters and their camera men there are only two underground levels in Area 51, when actually there are a few more. These lower levels house some of the more dangerous creations and unknown creatures. Like any well known Horror movie, things don't go as planned for our main characters and things get a little out of hand. Next thing you know, everybody is trapped inside the base with most of the aliens on the loose, trying to survive the night. End of story, roll credits.Like I said before, AREA 51 isn't a very good movie by any stretch of the word. In some hidden and minute way, I wanted to like and enjoy this film for what it is and in terms of that, I guess I did. There are a few things this movie does have going for it. Despite the SyFy production, the over all project doesn't suffer in ways their "made for TV" films do. There isn't any bad CGI monsters here, just good 'ol fashion guys in rubber costumes! The main creature is especially awesome, looking like a goblin and a pray mantis all rolled into one!Some of the characters are interesting but they never really transcend anything above a "made for television" level. Also, there is some creative writing in the script and a few of the plot points come across as a little original. Outside of that, most of the dialogue is kinda' dull and you don't really care if any of the characters live or die. Once again, these were all elements I expected going into this film.If AREA 51 does exceed any expectations, I think it's mainly because the other half of this production comes from the AFTER DARK HORROR FEST side of things. By having them work with SyFy on this movie, they polished over their tendencies to go overboard with the bad CGI special effects and awful dialogue. Some parts even feel like an actual movie! Gore Hounds, check it out for great "hands on" latex monster costumes and some of the more gory scenes. This isn't a very bloody film over all so don't expect piles of gore, body parts and rivers of blood. It's more about the sweet costumes!In the end, I got exactly what I wanted from this movie. Which was nothing. I didn't expect it to blow my mind and it didn't. I got to see some pretty cool alien costumes and a competent production, which is what I about expected if anything at all. AREA 51 is really a movie for the SyFy fans because it's probably the best film they've been associated with thus far. In that case, fans of the SyFy Channel, rejoice! This is about as good as it's gonna' get for a while.Two stars for cool alien costumes and a competent production.Over and out.

2013-04-16 11:14:44

Not much of a hardship on the brain........

The most telling feature regarding this film is the director: Jason Connery. While I won't say it's a name usually associated with (be polite) crap, but, it is. Had I known he was the director I don't think I would have sought out this film. Jason London being a part of this project also didn't help. But I do like Bruce Boxleitner and John Shea even though both have followed the path leading to less (be polite) than sterling work of late. The so-called monsters/aliens might as well have been made of tinfoil, they looked that artificial. I was also expecting larger numbers and different types considering where they were housed. But no, just a handful, locked in a complex that was obviously on the cheap, judging from the lack of decent lighting. As far as thrills, spills, and chills, very little of any, comparatively speaking (par for the course), this was rudimentary fare. Watchable.

marine_snipr_arshad 2013-04-15 19:35:57

terrible

This film is literally the biggest pile of elephant sh$t I have everseen in my life.I would rather slowly impale my eyes simultaneously with searing whitehot forks than watch this goddamn sh#t again.The aliens look like potatoes and the main alien sounds like MicrosoftSam. The actors are straight up terrible they try and act concerned andserious but come off as dopey and cliché' as hell. What the hell is upwith the military personnel looking like fat wow playing nerds.I thought the buff black guy would at least add some flavor but alas hewas a pussy. This film could not have possibly have had a $1,000,000budget because I could have produced something better with my crappyiPhone in my back yard with my semi retarded mates.The directors should kill themselves.I actually went out of my way to make an account so i could write thisabhorrent review. P.S I lost the DVD so Ill just take the receipt back with a piece ofsh*t; same thing.Out.