Species II (1998)
Written By: JEH
Edited By: Grave Reviews Staff
Film Information
Director: Peter Medak
Producers: Frank Mancuso Jr.
Writers: Chris Brancato
Date Released: April 10, 1998
Cast:
Natasha Henstridge as Eve
Michael Madsen as Preston “Press” Lennox
Marg Helgenberger as Dr. Laura Baker
James Cromwell as U.S. Senator Judson Ross
Mykelti Williamson as Dennis Gamble
Justin Lazard as Patrick Ross
George Dzundza as Col. Carter Burgess Jr.
Myriam Cyr as Anne Sampas
Rating = 1/5 Graves
***May contain some spoilers***
Synopsis
After a successful Mars expedition, a team of astronauts gets infected with alien DNA. One of the astronauts, Commander Patrick Ross (Justin Lazard), is slowly turning into an alien that aims to repopulate on Earth and destroy humans. When plenty of women falls victim to Commander Ross’ deadly mating procedures, Dr. Laura Baker (Marg Helgenberger) and assassin Press Lennox (Michael Madsen) seeks the help of half-alien, half-human Eve (Natasha Henstridge). However, things go wrong when Eve loses control and summons Commander Ross to mate with her.
Gore Factor
If you’re looking for an amusing science fiction gore with surprisingly well-made special effects, you might enjoy Species II (1998). Expect to see exploding stomachs, exploding heads, and exploding alien bodies. While these may sound extreme, it’s nothing a gore lover can’t handle.
Also, be prepared for a lot of female frontal nudity. It’s a movie about aliens mating with humans, so this shouldn’t come as a surprise.
The Grave Review
Species (1995) offered a predictable science horror fiction with fun alien designs and female nudity. So, what more can you expect from a sequel that’s only meant to milk the idea? The Species series is not something meant to be taken seriously. However, it’s still a little bit disappointing to see how Species II (1998) brings nothing new to the table.
The acting was never the strongest point of the series, but it somehow gets worse with time. The characters feel stiff, with their dialogues unnatural and all over the place. But with a story as ridiculous as this one, it’s no surprise that the characters are also a mess.
Also, if you’ve loved the first movie, you might notice that there’s a certain charm missing. Perhaps it’s because Natasha Henstridge has less screen time? Or maybe because Eve is not as interesting as Sil, the original alien seductress. Whatever it is, it definitely affected the entertainment factor of this sequel.
While the negatives might turn you off from seeing the movie, there’s one thing that the production team did right: alien designs and special effects. Why? Because the one and only H.R. Giger, who designed the iconic Xenomorph (Alien franchise), also designed aliens for this sequel.
As for the special effects, it is beyond impressive, especially for its time. The effects are just right, believable, and well-thought-out. It just sucks that the special effects and H.R. Giger’s works are wasted on Species II (1998).
Should you see Species II (1998)? If you want to see aliens, gore, and nudity in one movie, you might have a blast. But if you’re looking for something entertaining and memorable, skip this one.
Because of the foregoing reasons, Grave Reviews gives Species II (1998) one grave out of five graves.
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