Evolution – Probably better than it deserves to be

Did you ever see or hear something and then found that, for ever after, it’s impossible to UNhear it?  I’ll explain… I watched ‘Evolution’ in the cinema and enjoyed it.  Then, some time after, I read a review that stated ‘It’s simply ‘Ghostbusters’ with aliens.’ Now, every time I watch it, all I can see are the parallels between the two films.  However, that’s no bad thing, as, no matter how apt that summary may be, the film is still good fun.  For some reason.

David Duchovny took a break from playing ‘Fox Mulder’ in the ever-popular ‘X-Files’ in order to film this other ‘alien invasion’ movie.  However, just because he left his FBI badge with Scully, didn’t mean that Mulder isn’t here in spirit.  I know he’s attracted more than his fair share of criticism directed at his acting ability (or lack thereof) and I don’t want to add to such negativity (as I am a fan, after all!). However, he really just seems to be playing a non-FBI Mulder, only with slightly tinted blond highlights in his hair.  In ‘Evolution’ he plays a scientist who works in a university in the desert, only to discover than a meteorite crashes nearby, containing microscopic alien life forms.  Unfortunately, they don’t stay that way for long and soon they’re threatening to have the locals on toast.  So, ‘not Mulder’ teams up with a couple of other scientists, plus a fireman-in-training to combat this alien menace.

‘Not Mulder’s’ fellow scientist is played by black actor Orlando Jones.  I only mention his race because he spends much of the movie spouting jokes based on black/white differences. Then there’s the government scientist played by Julianne Moore.  She’s also ‘Not Mulder’s’ love interest and spends most of her time falling over or bumping into things.  Comedy gold, eh?  Finally, you have ‘Stiffler’ from the ‘American Pie’ franchise as the amateur fireman.  I won’t even bother using the actor’s name as he’s effectively Stiffler who can drive a fire engine.  And, just like ‘Ghostbusters’ our quartet don’t just have aliens to worry about, but an inept military/Government agency who are also apparently hell-bent on impeding their efforts.

Now, you may think I’m sounding rather negative regarding a film that I claim to enjoy.  I guess I am.  There is nothing here that’s particularly clever or original.  And yet I still enjoy it.  I’ve actually thought long and hard about why I still continue to watch ‘Evolution’ and I’ve concluded that the simple answer is that it never tries too hard.  If it tried to be deep and meaningful, it would be an abject failure.  In the same way that if it tried to be an action movie it would fail.  The same goes if it went for a straight comedy.  As it is, it’s enough of all those genres just to pass itself off as light entertainment.  It’ll never really win any awards or be remembered as anything other than a sort of Ghostbusters-with-aliens clone, but if you like David Duchovny, or silly light-hearted sci-fi in general, put this on – it’s the kind of movie you don’t have to think too deeply about and can dip in and out of and still get a nice warm feeling of enjoyment out of.

7/10 if I woke up on Groundhog Day and had to watch this again, I could live with that