Film Review: Evilution (2008)

SYNOPSIS:

A microscopic alien life form has been discovered with the ability to possess the living and resurrect the dead. The United States Army has tried to communicate with it but failed. Instead, the military has tried to create a genetically altered version of the alien in order to resurrect dead soldiers on the battlefield. The alien fights back, turning soldier against soldier. Young scientist Darren Hall kidnaps the last pure specimen of the alien, determined to the reverse the damage inflicted and learn the secrets of life. Hiding in a mysterious building named The Necropolitan, he continues his experiments. On one fateful night, the alien is set loose on the unsuspecting tenants resulting in a new evolution of apocalyptic horror as infected tenants attack the unsuspecting, turning them into a cannibal horde. Darren and a small group of survivors must now find a way to destroy the alien possessed before they can escape into the city and bring forth the end of the human race.

REVIEW:

Written by: Brian Patrick O’Toole
Directed by: Chris Conlee
Starring: Eric Peter-Kaiser, Tim Colceri, Sandra Ramirez, Noel G, Guillermo Diaz

QUICK FIX:
The Army finds an alien life form with the ability to possess the living and resurrect the dead, and decide that a genetically altered version of that would be the perfect way to get their own squadron of Universal Soldiers as well as prevent actual battlefield deaths. And what better place to test that theory than on the battlefields of Iraq, right? Sure, not a bad idea at all…cept that the alien hates us and fights back, making the soldiers go all 28 DAYS LATER on everyone on base.

One bomb-dropping later, and said problem is history…or is it? One lone scientist escapes back to the States with a sample of the alien DNA and takes up residence in an apartment complex in the hood to continue his experiments in peace. But sh*t happens, and E.T. gets loose again, and the infection starts all over again. Can the scientist, the military dude sent to kill him, and a rag-tag group of misfits stop it before it wipes us out??? Oh those nutty military scientists…what they won’t do for a laugh!

RAMBLINGS:
I’ve read a few negative reviews of this little cross between DAY OF THE DEAD meets ASSAULT ON PRECINCT 13 with a small touch of THE HIDDEN (or so I think) through the months, and knowing the synopsis of it since then I’ve been very curious to check it out for myself to see what all the fuss, or in this case, the bad press was all about. So imagine my surprise when this one landed in my lap for review…ask and ye shall receive, right? So if that’s really the case, how bout a beautiful nekkid brunette with a suitcase full of cash falls out of the sky right now??!! No? Shit…ok, back to the story at hand then.

I honestly cannot understand what movie the other online reviewers were watching, or what they didn’t see in it that I did. Maybe they prefer remakes and watered down PG-13 versions of J-horror flicks to the talent we have thriving in the indie scene today, who knows? So to those other reviewers trashing the flick for a poorly-written script, sub-par acting, etc., in all of their anonymous online identities (MagnoliaFan, anyone?) I say, in my most mature, big boy voice that I can muster, “It’s called indie horror on a budget, assholes. Deal with it!!!”

Eric Peter-Kaiser, I could have at first sworn was a reincarnated Daniel Stern from the CHUD days (no offense, dude – it’s a compliment!)…he always kept his cool in the flick, even though you could see, as a viewer, the volcano about to erupt just behind his eyes…had me hooked man! Sandra Ramirez – last chance to fall out of the sky into my office with that suitcase full of cash….going once….damn. Gorgeous lady, great actress – played her character’s arc very convincingly, and I really look forward to more from her. Three of the supporting players, Diaz & G amongst them, looked and acted like they came straight from set of NEXT FRIDAY, and were obviously comic relief during tense situations, and had me in stitches more than once – nice job guys!

Director Conlee has been an editor in our genre for quite some time now (ABOMINABLE and BOO, just to name a couple) ,and that past experience was more than obvious the way the flick seemed to flow along so effortlessly.

Writer O’Toole is the man behind one of my favorite underrated indie gems from 2006, CEMETARY GATES, as well as the forthcoming BASEMENT JACK, a flick I’ve been looking forward to seeing for quite some time now, which also, from what I’ve heard, employs many of the same cast & crew from EVILUTION.

LAST WORDS:
EVILUTION’s title is more than just a play on words, or even a double-entendre, if you will, as you’ll find out when you watch it for yourself. The movie itself is, pun intended, infectious.

It finally hits shelves and online retailers on November 17th, so check it out for yourselves. You get a kickass opening followed by an actual story and that rare thing you almost never find in the big-budgeted Hollyweird horror movies – character development – followed by a tense, action packed and blood-soaked last act that once again proves the indie horror scene is alive and well!!