Theres nothing here you wont have seen before.
Rating: 5/10
Running Time: 92 minutes
UK Certificate: 15
On DVD
Alien Hunter is the sort of conveyor belt-produced sci-fi movie that seemed to be springing up by the dozen back when The X-Files was making it big. Nowadays, such material still feels as formulaic as it did back then only now with the added disadvantage of not even being fashionable any more.
Aside from the bizarre appearance of one-time Olympian Carl Lewis, James Spader is the only well-known face who thought it wise taking part in this straight-to-video offering. He plays scholarly ladies man Julian Rome, a communications expert called to a lab in Antarctica to investigate a chunk of ice. Nothing particularly abnormal about ice in the South Pole, I hear you say. In fact, from what I can gather, theres loads of the stuff down there. But this particular chunk has been sending out an indecipherable radio signal, and theres also the small matter of the alien found lurking inside when the docs cut it open.
It soon becomes apparent that Alien Hunter is a grossly misleading title. Theres precious little hunting going on, by either the humans or the distinctly mild-mannered alien. In fact, it soon becomes apparent that the principal threat comes not from the little green man, but from the flesh-eating virus its accidentally brought with it (oops!).
Its not a bad film, and has a few nice touches added on by the special effects department. The actings also of a higher standard than youd generally expect from such B-movie fare, with the possible exception of John Sliding Doors Lynch who grates as Spaders irritatingly sceptical love rival.
The worst thing about it is the complete lack of invention on the part of director Ron Krauss and writer J.S. Cardone. Theres nothing here you wont have seen before, and youd be better off watching any of the many other alien movies this one takes its lead from.
It's Got: A cop-out ending.
It Needs: To dump the clichés and come up with some ideas of its own.
DVD Extras Directors commentary, a Making Of, storyboard comparison, location shoots, deleted scenes (including an alternate ending) with optional commentary, photo gallery and some trailers. DVD Extras Rating: 6/10
Summary
Mildly entertaining in places, but utterly predictable and never remotely thought-provoking.