Quick Overview: Earth becomes the battleground for representatives of two alien species, one who is intent on destroying all life of Earth, and one who is trying to save Earth's population from genocide. But which is which?
I really wanted to like this show, I really did. But my hopes for a decent scifi drama were misplaced. The aliens are too human-like, in their appearance, their grasp of the English language, and their methods of fighting. When one of the aliens is revealed, the result is disappointing. I was hoping for at least a little blue body paint, maybe a rubber prosthetic or 2, jeez, even a commercial Halloween mask. Something non-human. Anything. But I guess the budget had to go towards vinyl suits, surgical tubing, and some unspectacular special effects.
The storyline is rudimentary: humans must determine the motives of aliens fighting each other on Earth, and eventually help one of the aliens prevent all life from being destroyed. There seems to be a fair amount of cinematic homage (read: borrowing) at play in the production: a bit of Predator, a bit of Terminator, and most importantly, a bit of good old Western-style gunslinger showdown, thus the title, I suppose. And speaking of the title, I'm not sure where Area 51 fits into anything. While the beginning of the story apparently takes place on a military base (is this really supposed to be Area 51?), most of the big battles and ensuing chase seem to occur in residential neighborhoods or neighboring farms.
I get that this is a TV movie, and I want to be forgiving of the limitations/time restrictions of the medium. But the timing and pacing of the story are really off. Some sequences are given too much attention while others are not given enough. One of the best (worst?) examples of this is the massive, Armageddon-inducing military buildup taking place in space above Earth while the two aliens battle it out on the ground. Hundreds, probably thousands of technologically advanced spacecraft are mobilizing to invade Earth, but we discover the aliens' entire mission is based on the detonation of a small bomb on Earth. The bomb fails to explode (obviously), and within seconds of learning the outcome of the bomb, the leader of the space fleet effectively says OK, boys, pack it up, lets go home. Excuse me? No fight, no discussion, no nothing, it's over before it started. Happy endings ensue, boy gets girl, fade to black. I'm no military expert, but something tells me the technology and firepower of the alien fleet probably would have been more than a match for Earth's feeble defenses...
If one is not too demanding when it comes to plotline, big budget special effects, acting, or believability , Showdown may be tolerable for a little alien-on-alien fight action. But this tepid production may leave some viewers wondering how they can get back the two hours they spent watching it.
I really wanted to like this show, I really did. But my hopes for a decent scifi drama were misplaced. The aliens are too human-like, in their appearance, their grasp of the English language, and their methods of fighting. When one of the aliens is revealed, the result is disappointing. I was hoping for at least a little blue body paint, maybe a rubber prosthetic or 2, jeez, even a commercial Halloween mask. Something non-human. Anything. But I guess the budget had to go towards vinyl suits, surgical tubing, and some unspectacular special effects.
The storyline is rudimentary: humans must determine the motives of aliens fighting each other on Earth, and eventually help one of the aliens prevent all life from being destroyed. There seems to be a fair amount of cinematic homage (read: borrowing) at play in the production: a bit of Predator, a bit of Terminator, and most importantly, a bit of good old Western-style gunslinger showdown, thus the title, I suppose. And speaking of the title, I'm not sure where Area 51 fits into anything. While the beginning of the story apparently takes place on a military base (is this really supposed to be Area 51?), most of the big battles and ensuing chase seem to occur in residential neighborhoods or neighboring farms.
I get that this is a TV movie, and I want to be forgiving of the limitations/time restrictions of the medium. But the timing and pacing of the story are really off. Some sequences are given too much attention while others are not given enough. One of the best (worst?) examples of this is the massive, Armageddon-inducing military buildup taking place in space above Earth while the two aliens battle it out on the ground. Hundreds, probably thousands of technologically advanced spacecraft are mobilizing to invade Earth, but we discover the aliens' entire mission is based on the detonation of a small bomb on Earth. The bomb fails to explode (obviously), and within seconds of learning the outcome of the bomb, the leader of the space fleet effectively says OK, boys, pack it up, lets go home. Excuse me? No fight, no discussion, no nothing, it's over before it started. Happy endings ensue, boy gets girl, fade to black. I'm no military expert, but something tells me the technology and firepower of the alien fleet probably would have been more than a match for Earth's feeble defenses...
If one is not too demanding when it comes to plotline, big budget special effects, acting, or believability , Showdown may be tolerable for a little alien-on-alien fight action. But this tepid production may leave some viewers wondering how they can get back the two hours they spent watching it.
About The Show
An anthropologist encounters two enemy aliens who come to Earth seeking a powerful weapon.
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Quick Overview: Earth becomes the battleground for representatives of two alien species, one who is intent on destroying …more»