Communion (1989) - Probably better 'pre X-files'

For those of you not glued to your TV screens every week in the nineties, 'The X-files' was a weekly show about two FBI agents who investigated the paranormal and, in particular, alien abductions.  It ran for many seasons and, as the popularity began to wane, even became a little 'self-referential.' One of the lead actors states that 'alien abductions' have become to common in popular lore, that if you ask most people they'll be able to describe such an event.

Even my mum, who used to walk in and out of the room when I was watching the antics of Scully and Mulder, could probably tell you that thin, grey creatures with big black eyes whisked you up to their flying saucer and stuck implements up your... anyway, what I'm saying is that pretty much everyone knows what a stereotypical 'alien abduction' is comprised of.

However, back in 1989 before 'The X-files' made the genre so mainstream, you may not have been aware of this 'phernomanon.' And, because of this, 'Communion' may have actually been quite scary.  Sadly, looking back at it from the far-flung future of 2024, it offers absolutely nothing new - let alone scary.

Yes, Christopher Walken is as watchable as ever, but, apart from him as the man at the centre of the alien abductions, it doesn't offer anything you probably haven't seen before.  Apparently, it's based on a 'true' story.  Whether you believe this sort of activity is 'true' or not is up to you.  Personally, I see this film as either 'entertaining' or not.  And, in my opinion, it's not that good.

Assuming you're not looking to watch roughly ten seasons of 'The X-files' to get a grip on what aliens have in store for us, if you're simply looking for another film that covers all this the I would recommend 'Fire in the Sky.' It's also supposed to be based on a 'real' encounter.  Again, I won't say whether that's accurate or not, but it sure is certainly more creepy than 'Communion.' 

I read online that Christopher Walken laughed when he saw the aliens' masks.  I can't blame him.  They're hardly in the same league as John Carpenter's classic 'The Thing' in terms of gruesomeness.  The creatures' features don't move and therefore come across as little more than the rubber masks they actually are.

Overall, if you've never seen anything on alien abductions then this movie may offer the odd chill here and there and Walken is as good value for money as ever, but, apart from that, there's little here to recommend.

6/10 Should probably keep you awake if Freddy Krueger was haunting your nights