Review of Evolution

Introduction

This movie was touted as the next `Ghostbusters`, and as Ivan Reitman directed it, you would hope that it would deliver on this promise. However, expecting lightning to strike twice is a forlorn hope at best, and unsurprisingly perhaps, Evolution fails to live up to the promise. That said, Evolution is an enjoyable 98 minutes and while you may not be guffawing, you will find the occasional chuckle.

The movie begins when a meteor strikes the Florida desert, narrowly missing a trainee fireman, Wayne Gray and his dummy rescuee. Requiring a representative of the US Geological Survey to examine the meteorite, Harry Block, a college volleyball coach who filled in his application on the Internet is contacted. Realizing that he needs someone with genuine scientific expertise, he enlists his colleague and friend, Ira Kane to help. Examining the rock, they are astonished to see that it bleeds and they collect this residue to study. In the lab, Ira finds that this liquid consists of rapidly reproducing single-celled organisms. When he gets Harry to take a look, they find that the organism has evolved into multi-cellular life. Back at the meteorite, evolution has progressed further to flatworms and primitive plant life. Harry and Ira decide to sit on the discovery and claim all the glory. As usual with alien invasions, the Army gets sent in. Assisting them is the clumsy Dr Alison Reed. They seal up the meteor site and begin their own investigation. Meanwhile, unknown to everyone else, the alien menace has continued to evolve and has escaped into the community. Strange life forms begin to terrorise the town. When a particularly obnoxious hotel manager is devoured, Wayne captures the critter and brings it to the two scientists to study. Harry, Ira and Wayne then set off to do battle against the alien scourge before the US Army mess things up, as they usually do. Later Alison joins them to develop a secret weapon and indulge in some blatant product placement.

Video

As you would expect in a movie of this age, the 1.85:1 anamorphic transfer is flawless and the image is pristine. The effects are well done with a lot of care and thought having gone into the creation of the aliens. They are obviously designed with the comedy in mind as they aren`t too menacing and have a character all their own. I was particularly fond of the Disneyesque "puppy dog" in the closet.

Audio

The DD 5.1 sound is well accomplished with the action well represented. Again with a film of this age, you expect the best possible presentation and you aren`t disappointed. The musical score is instantly forgettable, but a few good pop songs are resurrected to help the action along.

Features

To be frank, I felt let down by the extras. You get a 20-minute HBO making of documentary, which is informative but self-indulgent. Add to this a spate of filmographies and the usual trailers (Two for Evolution, one for Ghostbusters) and that`s your lot. While subtitles are in several languages, only an English Soundtrack is provided. You would have expected a Director`s commentary at least. Some deleted scenes would have been nice. Out-takes would have also been welcome. Definitely a missed opportunity. I`d like to add that the menus are horrendous. They must have been designed during a lunch-break. A simple rectangular scheme over a series of stills, they are hideous and garish, and look cheap and tacky.

Conclusion

David Duchovny stars as Ira. He reputedly left the X Files to concentrate on his movie career and get away from the character of Mulder. Here he plays a scientist who is battling a government trying to hush up an alien invasion. I suppose that`s irony. But seriously, Duchovny sends up his X Files persona a treat, and he does have a gift for comedy. You must admit that the word `dead-pan` was coined for him. However he doesn`t really stand out in this film and you get the feeling he was only doing it for his résumé. Seann William Scott is Wayne and is good as the lowbrow fireman wanabee. I particularly liked his scene in the shopping mall. Julianne Moore as Alison was a tad disappointing as her prominent character trait was a tendency towards clumsiness. When you have to rely on pratfalls to establish a character then you ought to be looking for a better writer. Dan Ayckroyd shows up as the Governor of Arizona, but he`s been doing these roles for so long, he could have phoned this one in, pompous but endearing, the Ayckroyd trademark. Orlando Jones as Harry Block steals the show though. He possesses a sharp wit and a finely honed sense of timing, and it`s definitely his performance that you pay attention to in this film.

On the surface, the only difference between Evolution and its predecessor, Ghostbusters is the substitution of aliens for ghosts. Delve deeper and it becomes apparent that the two films just don`t compare. Ghostbusters was a witty, intelligent comedy with good effects, which had you aching with laughter. It rightfully became a box-office smash. Evolution has outstanding special effects as can be expected from any 21st Century Sci-Fi movie. However like any modern comedy, Evolution plays the gross-out card. Taking its cue from puerile comedies like Dumb and Dumber or There`s Something About Mary, Evolution assumes that any joke about bodily functions has to be funny. Here, jokes about the rectum abound. Fart gags, anal probes and gargantuan butts contribute to the humour of this piece. Even Duchovny gets into the act and takes an opportunity to moon gracelessly at the camera. The shame is that beneath this layer of toilet humour, there`s an intelligent comedy trying to break out. Wit also takes a back seat in this film to irony. Irony is another one of those nineties inventions that is prevalent in modern cinema. This is a movie that knows it`s a movie. Every so often the film takes a knowing wink at the audience. "Hey! Here`s another funny bit" Self-referential moments abound and detract from the story. Please, just take the movie seriously and let the jokes speak for themselves. Leave the irony where it belongs, in Buffy the Vampire Slayer.

The bottom line, an enjoyable laugh that is a pleasant and not un-welcome diversion. A couple of lack-lustre performance from the ostensible leads, Duchovny and Moore is redeemed by a sparkling performance by Orlando Jones. Seann William Scott is also a joy to watch. A comedy that`s got its head firmly in the backside of the nineties, this kind of humour is beginning to get tedious. Good fun but instantly forgettable.