Species (1995)
Directed by Roger Donaldson
In 1993, the Search for Extra Terrestrial Intelligence Project receives a transmission detailing an alien DNA structure, along with instructions on how to splice it with human DNA. The result is Sil, a sensual but deadly creature who can change from a beautiful woman to an armour-plated killing machine in the blink of an eye.
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What critics compared Species to
Based on the ads, I assumed that it was going to be little more than a cheesy knock-off of “Species,” the endearingly silly 1995 monster movie best remembered for displaying the pulchritude of Natasha Henstridge and the scenery-chewing abilities of Ben Kingsley and Alfred Molina.
Variants of the story have turned up in a number of films over the last quarter-century such as The Fly (1986), Species (1995) and Alien Resurrection (1997).
Throughout, parallels from James Whale’s 1931 film “Frankenstein” to David Cronenberg’s 1986 film “The Fly” to Roger Donaldson’s 1995 movie “Species” abound, but Natali goes a step farther in that he doesn’t make his leads at all likable, which might be an additional cautionary comment on all that occurs in his movie.
But it's also uneven, perhaps a bit too preoccupied with paying homage to Shelley and James Whale's interpretations of the creating life story when not feeling a bit like the second coming of "Species" (the 1995 sci-fi flick), and ultimately succumbs to the tired third act conventions and requirements of the genre.
"Species" was written by Dennis Feldman, who clearly got his inspirations from "Alien," "Aliens," "Predator," and "Splash."
But if you need a hook to grab on to: imagine a feminist Nicolas Roeg or Stanley Kubrick directing the 1995 sci-fi horror Species.
In Tobe Hooper's Lifeforce, knockout model Mathilda May seduced men with a mere gaze before sucking their souls out through their mouths (bummer!), and in the dorky Species , knockout model Natasha Henstridge put the make on average joes before dispatching them in gruesome, tongue-through-the-skull fashion.