Aliens In The Attic
A spaceship full of ray gun-wielding extra-terrestrials, intent on invading Earth, meets resistance in a most unexpected form in John Schultz's out-of-this-world family comedy.
A spaceship full of ray gun-wielding extra-terrestrials, intent on invading Earth, meets resistance in a most unexpected form in John Schultz's out-of-this-world family comedy.
Aliens In The Attic is a special effects-laden adventure that positions younger characters as the heroes, unlikely saviours of mankind armed with items from their toy cupboard.
Adults are clueless or largely ineffectual as an invasion gathers pace, masterminded by a race of talking knee-high creatures who strike a curious balance between fearsome and cute.
Director Schultz borrows shamelessly from ET: The Extra-Terrestrial to forge a bond between the youngest human child and the one alien who doesn't think 'human beings are vicious', teeing up a predictably teary farewell.
He also orchestrates some surprisingly polished action sequences, including one eye-catching sequence when the aliens temporarily tamper with the laws of physics.
'They turned off the gravity, like in Halo,' shrieks Lee, referring to the popular video game, as the kids float around helplessly the upper floor of the house.
'This isn't X-Box,' counters his brother, 'it's real...
like Wii!' Needless to say, an Aliens In The Attic game based on the film is available on every conceivable system as we speak.
Teenage swot Tom Pearson (Carter Jenkins) heads to a lakeside retreat with his father Stuart (Kevin Nealon), mother Nina (Gillian Vigman) and sisters Bethany (Ashley Tisdale) and Hannah (Ashley Boettcher), having just intentionally failed his classes so he can get the school bullies off his back.
Uncle Nate (Andy Richter) and his boys Jake (Austin Butler) and the twins Art (Henry Young) and Lee (Regan Young) arrive soon after, accompanied by Nana Rose (Doris Roberts) and her steady supply of peppermints.
In the calm before a meteor shower, four aliens land on Earth, intent on recovering a device from the basement of the Pearsons' holiday home, which will signal the invasion.
An extra-terrestrial called Skip (voiced by JK Simmons), spearheads this scouting party, aided by Tazer (Thomas Haden Church), Razor (Kari Wahlgren) and Sparks (Josh Peck).
They masterfully take remote control of any pesky adults who stand in their way, using electrical darts shot into the necks of the victims.
Thankfully, these darts have no effect on children, and the resourceful youngsters band together to defeat the critters.
Aliens In The Attic is undemanding, PG-friendly fun, quickly establishing Jenkins' outcast as the hero who must go from underdog to saviour of the universe in the space of 85 jaunty minutes.
High School Musical starlet Tisdale is almost surplus to requirements, sidelined for most of the film until the finale when she kicks alien butt along with her siblings.
The visual effects are polished without being spectacular, and should hold the attention of youngsters in the audience long enough to stop them wolfing down their popcorn.
Release Date: Wednesday 12 August 2009
Certificate: PG
Runtime: 85mins
