Extraterrestrial Review

Director: Nacho Vigalondo

Starring: Michelle Jenner, Julián Villagrán, Carlos Areces and Raúl Cimas

Running Time: 94 minutes

Synopsis: Everyone knows what to do if one morning the sky would be absolutely full of UFOs: run as fast as you can. However, what would happen if the invasion started while you are in the flat of the girl of your dreams, the one you have just met?

TIMECRIMES (2007) was director Nacho Vigalondo’s first feature-length accidental time-travelling cult hit and second film EXTRATERRESTRIAL is the follow-up. A comedy-drama with a study of the human condition, throw in a potential alien attack that’s literally loitering overhead and this is an impressive piece of work.

When Julio (Julian Villagran), an industrial design student, wakes up in a strange bed one morning he quickly discovers he’s not in his own flat. A drunken evening has obviously turned to this hung-over and unsure moment after a one-night stand. He quickly discovers that he’s spent the night with the beautiful Julia (Michelle Jenner) but now, both of them are suddenly stuck in each other’s awkward company.

As the small-talk quickly dries up, Julio borrows the landline to make a phone call (as his mobile isn’t working) and they both discover that something isn’t right, and everything is a ‘little too quiet’. Soon enough they look up, grab the camcorder from the flat and discover a giant UFO floating ominously above them, so they make the sensible decision to try and make a plan first.

They’re quickly joined by a quintessentially intrusive neighbour in the form of Angel (Carlos Areces), who claims to be looking for people who haven’t fled the city. Supposedly, he’s there for a positive cause when, in truth, there’s an unrequited love for Julia that’s kept him in the building. But that’s not all as one soul is missing from the eventual quartet of main characters and soon enough, another twist in the tale as Carlos (Raul Cimas) arrives and it emerges that Julia has a boyfriend.

Sure, it’s got a similar premise to some but EXTRATERRESTRIAL has an impressive balance for a lower-budget film. Whereas some sci-fi films move towards the unknown and threat of that ‘end of the world’ situation, this collection of humans are distracted by their own objectives and therefore the bigger picture is somewhat – literally – in the background. The film holds edges of a Woody Allen-style character study and although it doesn’t quite have the perfection of his work, it certainly works well as it investigates everyone’s quirks and flaws.

EXTRATERRESTRIAL is smart, with a dry sense of humour but nevertheless, a knowing affair that would also work well on the stage, like CARNAGE recently. With the four central characters, this exploration into their lives could effortlessly develop into an encapsulating piece of theatre. But, for the moment, we’re on the big screen and it is still well worth it. What makes EXTRATERRESTRIAL special is that it’s all about character and this can often be overlooked on smaller budget films. A great script makes the difference, one that twists the genre where many are weighed down by repetition. It’s impressive for all the right reasons, the writing, the actors involved plus some very charismatic and personified direction from Vigalondo.

 EXTRATERRESTRIAL has recently been doing the US circuit of film festivals. It can also currently be bought on iTunes.