A poor sci-fi thriller which even the usually-excellent Johnny Depp cannot save. Its problems stem from too much build-up and no pay-off, and another disappointing performance from flavour of the month Charlize Theron. It feels and plays like an episode of The Outer Limits with Depp and Nick Cassavettes as astronauts seemingly possessed by an alien lifeform whilst out on a routine spacewalk. They return comatose with NASA unable to explain why and only Joe Morton at all suspicious about their disappearance and what happened when they were out there.
Shortly after the two astronauts recover, a weakened Cassavettes collapses at their welcome home do and dies. His wife then commits suicide after telling Theron that he impregnated her with something not of this earth. Unsurprisingly Theron refuses to believe the truth even when her 'pilot-till-I-die' husband quits NASA and ups the two of them to New York and a new job designing state-of-the-art fighter planes. His behavioural changes and totally creepy look are still not enough to persuade her until, after getting pregnant, she begins to have peculiar visions of her twin babies and exactly what they are for.
It's very disappointing and anyone who waits 2 hours for some kind of impressive Fight Club style ending will be sorely let down. I just sat there waiting for the credits to finish and the real ending to be shown. Only it wasn't. Depp is good enough but Theron is as weak as ever in a role which is clearly the main attraction (hence the title). I wouldn't say she was as bad as in The Devils Advocate but at least she had Keanu Reeves to keep her company in the bad acting stakes. Alongside Depp she's shown up to be the model-turned-actress she really is. I don't recommend this to anyone but Depp completists or insomniacs. |
