Alien Hunter (2003)

An alien black box is found in the South Pole, where a government agency is conducting botanical experiments.

Director:

Ron Krauss

Writers:

J.S. Cardone (story), Boaz Davidson (story)

Stars:

James Spader, Janine Eser, John Lynch

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
James Spader	...	Julian Rome
Janine Eser	...	Dr. Kate Brecher
John Lynch	...	Dr. Michael Straub
Nikolai Binev	...	Dr. Alexi Gierach
Leslie Stefanson	...	Nyla Olson
Aimee Graham	...	Shelly Klein
Stuart Charno	...	Abell (as Stu Charno)
Carl Lewis	...	Grisham
Svetla Vasileva	...	Dacia
Anthony Crivello	...	Pilot
Kaloian Vodenicharov	...	Co-Pilot (as Kaloyan Vodenicharov)
George Stanchev	...	Airman
Rufus Dorsey	...	Navigator
Roy Dotrice	...	Dr. John Bachman
Woody Schultz	...	Sam

Storyline

In 1947, in New Mexico, a radio operator receives a signal following regular patterns. While investigating the occurrence, he vanishes. In the present day, the same signal is transmitted from a base in the Falkland Islands to United States of America and a satellite captures images of a unknown object in Antartic. The cryptologist Julien Rome (James Spader) is invited to investigate the mystery in the South Pole and he flies to a research base. While a team tries to open a weird shell probably from the outer space, Julien solves the message, which proves to be a distress signal ordering not to open the case.

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Plot Keywords:

alien | elevator | alien invasion | u boat | womanizer | 

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Taglines:

At the ends of the Earth, it's the end of the world...

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Genres:

Action | Adventure | Sci-Fi | Thriller

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Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated R for language and some violence

Details

Country:

USA Bulgaria

Language:

English Russian

Release Date:

19 July 2003 (USA)

Also Known As:

The Beacon

Filming Locations:

Newhall, California, USA

Box Office

Budget:

$7,000,000 (estimated)

Company Credits

Production Co:

Millennium Films, Sandstorm Films

Technical Specs

Runtime:

92 min

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

The black & white footage shown to Julian Rome is footage from The Thing from Another World (1951). This footage was also used in the remake of The Thing from Another World, John Carpenter's The Thing (1982), and it is the film that R.J. MacReady finds in the destroyed Norwegian camp.

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Goofs

Some of the spoken Russian is complete gibberish.

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Connections

References E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial (1982)

User Reviews

Pretty Good Science Fiction

I thoroughly enjoyed "Alien Hunter". I didn't ponder whether it was drawing upon other films, or harshly criticize the actors. I simply enjoyed the plot and people and the entertainment it provided. I thought the cast all did a fine job. It's pretty good science fiction! I do wish the producers had found a more meaningful name for it.

The premise of the film had an element of originality that made it gripping and entertaining. The finale was a complete surprise to me. I had envisioned quite another resolution.

The director sets an overall somber, brooding tone with the consistently drab surroundings of the Antarctic lab. The plot develops well, and holds interest. There were very few slow spots, and those could have been my own perception. I liked the characters, and flowed right along with them. I would recommend this film to any science fiction fan. The beautiful girl in the white bikini, wading into a cornfield in an Antarctic lab, was irresistible. Just the right touch.

The film is thoughtful and poignant, with elements of intellectual science fiction that made viewing it fascinating for me. Its the kind of film that one can just lean back with, and imagine being right there with the cast, living it all with them.