Related lists from IMDb users
Title: Alien Nation (1988)
Want to share IMDb's rating on your own site? Use the HTML below.
| Cast overview, first billed only: | |||
| James Caan | ... | ||
| Mandy Patinkin | ... | ||
| Terence Stamp | ... |
William Harcourt
|
|
| Kevyn Major Howard | ... | ||
 |
Leslie Bevis | ... |
Cassandra
|
| Peter Jason | ... |
Fedorchuk
|
|
| Conrad Dunn | ... |
Quint
(as George Jenesky)
|
|
| Jeff Kober | ... |
Joshua Strader
|
|
| Roger Aaron Brown | ... |
Det. Bill Tuggle
|
|
|
|
Tony Simotes | ... |
Wiltey
|
|
|
Michael David Simms | ... |
Human Dealer
|
|
|
Ed Krieger | ... |
Alien Dealer
|
| Tony Perez | ... |
Alterez
|
|
| Brian Thompson | ... |
Trent Porter
|
|
| Francis X. McCarthy | ... |
Capt. Warner
(as Frank McCarthy)
|
|
A few years from now, Earth will have the first contact with an alien civilisation. These aliens, known as Newcomers, slowly begin to be integrated into human society after years of quarantine but are victims of a new type of discrimination. When the first Newcomer police officer, Sam Francisco is assigned his new partner, he is given Matthew Sykes , a mildly racist veteran, the animosity between them soon gives way to respect as they investigate the Newcomer underworld, and especially Newcomer leader William Harcourt. Written by Jonathan Broxton <j.w.broxton@sheffield.ac.uk>
Many people have the wrong impression of this movie. Most group it in within the "cop/buddy" genre and cheesy sci-fi. But "Alien Nation" is much more than that. In fact, it was way ahead of it's time.
I saw this movie in a dimly-lit, run-down Detroit-area theater at the age 14, an afternoon in the fall of 1988. I recall how the "atmosphere" of the movie matched that of the run-down theater I was sitting in. At 14, and with the title of "Alien Nation", a young kid like myself wanted to see weird alien creatures and lots of action. At the time, I was disappointed. This movie is about story, not action or weird aliens. Although I didn't really understand nor enjoy the movie at the time, it always stuck with me for some reason. So, nearly 18 years after seeing it on the silver screen, I re-watched it at home and was amazed by the depth of the story and the grittiness of the background. It was little wonder why I didn't like it at 14, but loved it at 32.
This story is really about race and immigration, with the hated race being alien immigrants. It shows how hatred and ignorance over race can transform one's personality, like the lead character played by James Caan.
Alien Nation asks questions about ourselves as humans. How would we react if aliens landed on Earth and announced they were escaping a brutal planet full of slavery and have immigrated to Earth? Would we accept them as our own, or would we force them to become outcasts? Would we allow an "Affirmative Action" scenario in regards to Aliens and Alien rights? Would we offer them high-paying jobs and/or top-notch education, depriving humans of those same jobs and quality education in exchange? To me, Alien Nation is one of the more possible (and perhaps likely) scenarios. Aliens delegated to run-down areas of big cities. Token jobs occasionally handed out because it's forced by the Government to do so. And a general disgust towards Aliens amongst the human population. In that regard, this movie was way ahead of the curve.
Great movie. 9 out of 10 stars. Recommended for those over 25, perhaps those with a higher intellect than most. Not recommended for someone looking for a "Men In Black" type of Alien movie. Not your typical Hollywood blockbuster filled with Aliens, that's for sure.
IMDb ROCKS!
JD