InAlienable has so many things wrong with it, I don't know where to begin. So, I will give you the good news first.
At the forefront of this direct-to-stream (and now DVD) science fiction thriller are Walter Koenig (Pavel Chekov from the original Star Trek) and Richard Hatch (Captain Apollo from the first Battlestar Galactica TV series). Koenig writes and costars, while Hatch takes center stage as scientific researcher Dr. Eric Norris, a researcher who falls for much-younger woman Amanda (Courtney Peldon, best-known to horror fans from her role in Tobe Hooper's Mortuary) and winds up pregnant. Him, not her.
It takes a while for the alien birth to occur, but once it does — in all its super-super low budget gawd-awful puppet glory — that's when the scare and suspense elements come into play. Eric and Amanda must go on the run in order to save the innocent extraterrestrial life form who, it turns out, really is just a child (almost) like any other. This is where the "message" also starts to creep in, giving credence to the film title in regard to inalienable rights (fans of District9's sociopolitical angle may also like this movie).
In spite of its bare-bones, flatly-lit, spartan-sets appearance, InAlienable does something most indies of this ilk can't do: It holds the viewer's interest, thanks to well-written dialogue and (mostly) good performances. Hardcore sci-fi geeks will appreciate the smaller roles played by Koenig's cohorts — such as Marina Sirtis (Star Trek: The New Generation), Erick Avari (Stargate), Jay Acovone (Stargate SG-1), J.G. Hertzler (Star Trek: Enterprise), Alan Ruck (Star Trek: Of Gods and Men), and Tim Russ (Star Trek: Voyager).
The cameos are cool but Hatch is the heart and soul of the movie, and he's surprisingly sympathetic as the scientist who winds up becoming the ultimate experiment. Even when he is acting against the silliest stimuli you can imagine, he doesn't hold back or show the embarrassment or reticence you might expect — me? I'd be sinking into the floor if I had to do some of the things he does in InAlienable (you'll just have to see for yourself what I'm talking about). But instead of coming off overwrought or histrionic, Hatch is remarkably genuine as the "father" of the alien life form.
So we've had the good and the bad… now for the ugly. In spite of some valiant efforts in the way of interesting angles and thoughtful composition, the cinematography and lighting are unforgivably weak. I could hardly get through the movie without wondering why this, and why that — for instance, the first look we get at the just-born baby boy is lit flat and unflinchingly… why not either make it darker, or bloom out the contrast so we don't see just how makeshift the puppetry and prosthetics are? The fake, phony, and downright goofy appearance of the "monster" just ripped me right out of the story time and time again. (The baby does get a bit better as he grows and is brought to life by actors in suits — Gabriel Pimentel is the younger, and Bradley Laise is the elder.)
If you're a fan of Koenig or Hatch, and if you'd like to see them doing good work in a more dramatic medium (civil rights, courtroom dynimics, etc.), then I recommend InAlienable. If, however, you are looking for a sci-fi horror thriller with a fast pace and cool special effects, I'd suggest you wait until Koenig gets the bigger filmmaking budget he deserves.
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Reviewed by Staci Layne Wilson