Strange lights descend on the city of Los Angeles, drawing people outside like moths to a flame where an extraterrestrial force threatens to swallow the entire human population off the face of the Earth.
Genres: Science Fiction/Fantasy and Thriller Running Time: 1 hr. 40 min. Release Date: November 12th, 2010 (wide) MPAA Rating: PG-13 for sequences of intense sci-fi action and violence, some language, and brief sexual content. Distributor: Universal Pictures
Cast And Credits
Starring:
Eric Balfour, Scottie Thompson , Donald Faison, Brittany Daniel
Directed by:
Colin Strause, Greg Strause
Produced by:
Liam O'Donnell
It’s pretty clear that most of the thought, time and money spent on “Skyline” went into the fabrication of the alien creatures who descend on Los Angeles and start feeding on humans at a pace reminiscent of the afternoon rush at In-N-Out Burger. These extraterrestrial locavores — they consume their food right where it’s harvested — are a cross between the Alien and Audrey the man-eating plant in “Little Shop of Horrors,” except that they come in sizes ranging from large car to small building.
This emphasis on latex and computer graphics makes sense, given the involvement of the Brothers Strause, Colin and Greg, who have done special effects on 60-some movies but directed just two, “Skyline” and the 2007 “Aliens vs. Predator: Requiem.” Elsewhere they’ve scrimped: the actors are from television (Eric Balfour of “Haven,” Scottie Thompson of “Trauma,” Donald Faison of “Scrubs,” David Zayas of “Dexter”), and Joshua Cordes and Liam O’Donnell’s screenplay is strictly from hunger.
Trapped inside what looks like a Marina del Rey condo complex, the principals raise and lower the blinds, run up and down the stairs and occasionally venture outside, while the audience, if it has the energy, yells: “No! Don’t do that! That’s stupid!” Eventually it turns out that all the running and hiding and chopping (there’s an ax) was beside the point, which is the sort of thing that can make you angry if you care about the characters, but in this case is kind of a relief.
Some obvious comparables for “Skyline” are “Independence Day” and Steven Spielberg’s “War of the Worlds,” but there is nothing here that even approaches the comic-book verve of the first or the churning dread of the second. There is one natural audience for the film, though: people who really, really hate Los Angeles.
Directed by the Brothers Strause; written by Liam O’Donnell and Joshua Cordes; director of photography, Michael Watson; edited by Nicholas Wayman Harris; music by Matthew Margeson; production design by Drew Dalton; costumes by Bobbie Mannix; creature design by Alec Gillis and Tom Woodruff Jr.; produced by the Brothers Strause, Mr.O’Donnell and Kristian James Andresen; released by Universal Pictures. Running time: 2 hours 9 minutes. WITH: Eric Balfour (Jarrod), Scottie Thompson (Elaine), Brittany Daniel (Candice), David Zayas (Oliver) and Donald Faison (Terry). “Skyline” is rated PG-13 (Parents strongly cautioned). Bodies are burned, rendered and vacuumed in large quantities, which occasionally makes the survivors swear.
It’s pretty clear that most of the thought, time and money spent on “Skyline” went into the fabrication of the alien creatures who descend on Los Angeles and start feeding on humans at a pace reminiscent of the afternoon rush at In-N-Out Burger. These extraterrestrial locavores — they consume their food right where it’s harvested — are a cross between the Alien and Audrey the man-eating plant in “Little Shop of Horrors,” except that they come in sizes ranging from large car to small building.
This emphasis on latex and computer graphics makes sense, given the involvement of the Brothers Strause, Colin and Greg, who have done special effects on 60-some movies but directed just two, “Skyline” and the 2007 “Aliens vs. Predator: Requiem.” Elsewhere they’ve scrimped: the actors are from television (Eric Balfour of “Haven,” Scottie Thompson of “Trauma,” Donald Faison of “Scrubs,” David Zayas of “Dexter”), and Joshua Cordes and Liam O’Donnell’s screenplay is strictly from hunger. 
Directed by the Brothers Strause; written by Liam O’Donnell and Joshua Cordes; director of photography, Michael Watson; edited by Nicholas Wayman Harris; music by Matthew Margeson; production design by Drew Dalton; costumes by Bobbie Mannix; creature design by Alec Gillis and Tom Woodruff Jr.; produced by the Brothers Strause, Mr.O’Donnell and Kristian James Andresen; released by Universal Pictures. Running time: 2 hours 9 minutes. WITH: Eric Balfour (Jarrod), Scottie Thompson (Elaine), Brittany Daniel (Candice), David Zayas (Oliver) and Donald Faison (Terry). “Skyline” is rated PG-13 (Parents strongly cautioned). Bodies are burned, rendered and vacuumed in large quantities, which occasionally makes the survivors swear.
