I saw Species as a teenager and found it interesting. Certain scenes in particular. Natasha Henstridge is very good looking. Anyway, I chose to rewatch it recently, quite casually.
There's something about horror and sex that's mysterious and entrancing. I found the idea of space and aliens really exciting as a kid. And Species has an interesting concept. It doesn't completely deliver on it - it's a movie which feels halfway between big budget Hollywood and low budget indie. The cast lifts the quality, some of the special effects are decent, but overall the story and directing make it feel a bit cheaper.
Roger Ebert didn't like it because the alien keeps jumping out from behind a wall - a cliche. It's so predictably evil with not much else going on. This is where Species misses some of its potential. The idea that Sil (the alien human girl hybrid) is afraid, wants to survive, is half-human, half-alien, confused, etc. That could be developed into some really meaty material. Existentialism, the meaning of life, her instincts, her fears and desires. Is she loyal to humans or some alien species? Is she good or evil? Does she have control?
Also, the parallels with changes we go through could be explored. Puberty, aging and various diseases - these are all real examples of body horror in a way. Sil goes through a major transition with a cocoon. But does she know what's happening? It seems not, but the movie doesn't explore it much.
The movie is entertaining with its mix of scares, sex scenes and the group of people chasing after Sil. But it's a bit repetitive. They find a dead body, giving them a lead. Sil tries to sleep with someone. Something goes wrong. The team arrives but it's too late. Rinse and repeat.
I didn't notice the music much except for the main theme during the opening credits which is pretty good - mysterious and a bit ominous, nice chords. Probably a bit of a rip-off of Alien which the whole movie feels a bit modeled on. Speaking of which, HR Giger's designs are pretty cool, the same old mix of alien, sexual, industrial, organic, etc.
The finale is a bit silly and the CGI starts to fall apart, really showing its age in 2023. The story ends up feeling a bit empty. Mildly exciting but anticlimactic. Michael Madsen is the main highlight from the cast. Alfred Molina and Ben Kingsley are underused. These actors are much more capable than what the script demands of them.
Henstridge is naturally quite a good actress - better than many people give her credit for. With the limited dialogue she has, she expresses a fair bit - confusion, fear, sexual desire, problem solving, curiosity, etc. She seems innocent but also very dangerous.
Species just needed a few rewrites to make it better. Flesh out the deeper themes. Add some variety to the events in the movie. A more epic finale. Some more interesting subplots. Some more comedy or action - something to contrast with the main linear part of a team chasing down a dangerous femme-fatale alien. As it is, it's an alright movie.
There's something about horror and sex that's mysterious and entrancing. I found the idea of space and aliens really exciting as a kid. And Species has an interesting concept. It doesn't completely deliver on it - it's a movie which feels halfway between big budget Hollywood and low budget indie. The cast lifts the quality, some of the special effects are decent, but overall the story and directing make it feel a bit cheaper.
Roger Ebert didn't like it because the alien keeps jumping out from behind a wall - a cliche. It's so predictably evil with not much else going on. This is where Species misses some of its potential. The idea that Sil (the alien human girl hybrid) is afraid, wants to survive, is half-human, half-alien, confused, etc. That could be developed into some really meaty material. Existentialism, the meaning of life, her instincts, her fears and desires. Is she loyal to humans or some alien species? Is she good or evil? Does she have control?
Also, the parallels with changes we go through could be explored. Puberty, aging and various diseases - these are all real examples of body horror in a way. Sil goes through a major transition with a cocoon. But does she know what's happening? It seems not, but the movie doesn't explore it much.
The movie is entertaining with its mix of scares, sex scenes and the group of people chasing after Sil. But it's a bit repetitive. They find a dead body, giving them a lead. Sil tries to sleep with someone. Something goes wrong. The team arrives but it's too late. Rinse and repeat.
I didn't notice the music much except for the main theme during the opening credits which is pretty good - mysterious and a bit ominous, nice chords. Probably a bit of a rip-off of Alien which the whole movie feels a bit modeled on. Speaking of which, HR Giger's designs are pretty cool, the same old mix of alien, sexual, industrial, organic, etc.
The finale is a bit silly and the CGI starts to fall apart, really showing its age in 2023. The story ends up feeling a bit empty. Mildly exciting but anticlimactic. Michael Madsen is the main highlight from the cast. Alfred Molina and Ben Kingsley are underused. These actors are much more capable than what the script demands of them.
Henstridge is naturally quite a good actress - better than many people give her credit for. With the limited dialogue she has, she expresses a fair bit - confusion, fear, sexual desire, problem solving, curiosity, etc. She seems innocent but also very dangerous.
Species just needed a few rewrites to make it better. Flesh out the deeper themes. Add some variety to the events in the movie. A more epic finale. Some more interesting subplots. Some more comedy or action - something to contrast with the main linear part of a team chasing down a dangerous femme-fatale alien. As it is, it's an alright movie.