Heatstroke (2008)

User Rating:

3.7/10   

Director:

Andrew Prowse

Writers (WGA):

Richard Manning (screenplay)
David Kemper (story) ...

Release Date:

31 May 2008 (USA)

Genre:

Action | Sci-Fi

Plot:

Cast

D.B. Sweeney	...	Captain Steve O'Bannon
Danica McKellar	...	Caroline
Chris Cleveland	...	Waters
Kelly Rice	...	Jillian Grange
Zac Heileson	...	Romeo Romero
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Parker Benton	...	Young Captain Steve O'Bannon
Francesca Buller	...	Dr. Taggert
Charlotte Dias	...	Rahela
Kimberly Nault	...	Brooke
Jessica Warfield	...	Jasmine

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Filming Locations:

Hawaii, USA

Company:

Rigel Entertainment

Movie Connections:

References "Clutch Cargo" (1959)

Good for a laugh or two

This one pulls out several stock monster movie plot devices, but yet manages to entertain if you take it at face value. You want vicious, blood thirsty aliens sneaking around on a remote island? You got it, along with some pretty-girl potential victims, trigger-happy marines who feed the critters with dozens of rounds of ammunition, people who whine about monster legends, the usual dumb skeptics, plus some beautiful south Pacific island shots.

Oh, and the creatures themselves. They're designed creepy enough (as usual, a hybrid of insect and human characteristics), but the director falls into the temptation of showing them way too early. Having them lurking in shadows, brushing plants, their brutal bloody attacks with unexpected deadly powers would have made them menacing; using some of their unusual powers in a mysterious way rather than showing these skills would have made them menacing enough. The unseen terror is usually scarier and more intimidating than seeing a fake looking CGI monster.

Danika McKellar is wasted on a shallow stereotyped character that you learn little about. She makes the most of what little the script offers, but I wish somebody would offer her some better roles.

The story is really just a series of encounters with the aliens, sometimes they croak an Earthling, sometimes the Earthling gets them first. Very little of the plot the creatures are hatching is developed. Some scenes are flat out stupid, such as the naive-scientist-trying-to-communicate-with-the-alien-race cliché scene. The approach of the dummy is so childlike, I thought she was going to say, "Polly want a cracker? Dat's a good alien!" any second. And the outcome is so obvious as to be comical.

Still, with all these shortcomings, the film never tries to be more than the fast food sci-fi/horror that it is, and just has a good time with its action. Good enough for a laugh on a rainy afternoon when you have nothing else to do.