Species 2

Yup, it's a crapper. Species I was adequate, but this sequel is not. Bad acting, strained and disjointed, and not much for effects, except for the final several minutes where he and she mutate and do their thing. I'll put up with quite a bit in the interest of sci-fi, but this blows. I'm trying to think of something equally as bad, perhaps those Cyborg movies.

After the original 'Species' gained word of mouth - Henstridge's nudity - and ranked in the cash, it was a given that MGM would do a sequel. Three years later here was '2' except this time no attempt to treat the material semi seriously. Reading reviews you'll see two camps. Those who still enjoy it's trashy elements and those who rightfully see it as a big step down.

Astronauts touch down on Mars and take soil samples that contain the alien DNA. Back on Earth, hunky head Patrick Ross (Justin Lazard) goes about making hybrids. Sil has been recreated in a more docile clone in Eve (Natasha Henstridge) with a physic bond to the male alien who gets excited when it senses him having sex. Things once again get out of control and in returns Baker (Marg Helgenberger), Lennox (Michael Madsen) and sole uninfected astronaut Gamble (Mykelti Williamson) to stop an outbreak.

Established actors James Cromwell, George Dzundza & Peter Boyle turn up in one note, cliche roles. Henstridge doesn't really become a big part of the movie until the last third. Helgenberger but especially Madsen are slumming it for a paycheck. The man himself said doing this was a mistake. Williamson's character was written to be a replacement for a non returning Forest Whitaker. It ramps up the nudity and violence and goes bigger with the HR Giger effects, but that doesn't make it better.

'Species 2' failed with audiences. Maybe it was released at the wrong time or people saw thru it and weren't stupid. From a technical point of view is certainly well made and the gratuitous elements stop it from ever being boring, but the story & characters are asleep at the wheel. They tried to not be a tired retread, but that's exactly what it is.

This movie sucks! The original was much better and even it wasn't that good. The only thing this has going for it is the scenes with sex and nudity. Gore fans might like this movie but if your looking for an amazing science fiction/horror experience than watch the ALIEN films.

A lot of people must have needed to make house payments, their names listed at the beginning of this film as a testament. Put another way, one could do a Jeff Foxworthyesque comedy bit called "Your career might be in trouble if..." and the answer is "You worked on Species II." I have never felt so embarrassed for a group of actors as I had watching these thespians run through painfully stupid dialogue. The script is so inept you have to wonder if it wasn't written by a committee - of middle schoolers. Except for the sex and violence. Or, more succinctly the sexual violence. The filmmakers have some definite problems with women. Unlike the first film, which this outing makes to look like "2001" by comparison, here we only see women being ripped bloodily apart, usually during sex. There are bad movies that are fun to watch and laugh at. This turd is not one of them.

If you liked the first species film you will like this, it's not as good but it's more or less the same just a bit cheaper. The sci-fi story is cool and I like the series and will watch the third one to see if it's any good.