If you're a Netflix subscriber and Horror fan, you're probably aware of the challenge of finding a worthy Horror film to watch. While the selection of foreign films is indeed impressive, English films are scarce and many of them turn out to be mediocre at best and forcing a conscious choice to lower one's expectations and standards. Wanting to watch a nice Horror film and not feeling like a foreign one - I've decided to try Life and definitely wasn't disappointed.
As I'm sure you've already seen in a trailer or read in a summary, Life tells the story of a space mission to retrieve Martian land samples believed to be containing organic life forms. As expected, said organic life form turns out to be a lot more dangerous than initially perceived by the shuttle's crew, who find themselves forced to fight for survival. However, if you're thinking of a Dead Space, Alien or Starship Troopers scenario - stop right there. The "alien" is far less fantastic and nefarious and therefore a lot more convincing and authentic. It isn't a terrifying hunter, simply and organism fighting for its own survival and which turns out to be a lot more evolved and superior.
The characters are relatable and very likeable despite some pretty unimpressive acting and direction (except for Jake Gyllenhaal, who was incredible, and Ryan Reynolds, who proved beyond a doubt he's much more than an action-comedy actor. Very impressive, way to go Deadpool!). The setting is utterly discomforting due to it being so different and remote from mankind's natural habitat (you know, outer space, no gravity, no air and nowhere to run). However, the plot itself is the main attraction, as it's suspenseful and keeps you at the edge of your seats all the way to the end.
And speaking of the end - I'll say it right now, it counts for about 2-3 points in my rating. It's so simple and "easy" that at first it felt out of place and illogical, but a few second of thinking about it made everything fall into place. It's surprising, despairing and in every way terrible, leaving the audience with a very distinctive knot in their chests. In the Horror genre, combining such a twist with such a feeling (which definitely stays with you for a bit) makes for an excellent ending, and I personally firmly believe anticlimactic endings is perhaps the greatest bane of Horror today.
All in all, while lowering your expectations and standards will indeed help you enjoy the film all the more, Life is far from being another average act of mediocracy. It's compelling, suspenseful and terrible and delivers a very highly entertaining Horror experience. While many might disagree with me (as this is all just my personal opinion), I would recommend to anyone and everyone (even those who aren't regular Horror enthusiasts) not to miss out on this one.
As I'm sure you've already seen in a trailer or read in a summary, Life tells the story of a space mission to retrieve Martian land samples believed to be containing organic life forms. As expected, said organic life form turns out to be a lot more dangerous than initially perceived by the shuttle's crew, who find themselves forced to fight for survival. However, if you're thinking of a Dead Space, Alien or Starship Troopers scenario - stop right there. The "alien" is far less fantastic and nefarious and therefore a lot more convincing and authentic. It isn't a terrifying hunter, simply and organism fighting for its own survival and which turns out to be a lot more evolved and superior.
The characters are relatable and very likeable despite some pretty unimpressive acting and direction (except for Jake Gyllenhaal, who was incredible, and Ryan Reynolds, who proved beyond a doubt he's much more than an action-comedy actor. Very impressive, way to go Deadpool!). The setting is utterly discomforting due to it being so different and remote from mankind's natural habitat (you know, outer space, no gravity, no air and nowhere to run). However, the plot itself is the main attraction, as it's suspenseful and keeps you at the edge of your seats all the way to the end.
And speaking of the end - I'll say it right now, it counts for about 2-3 points in my rating. It's so simple and "easy" that at first it felt out of place and illogical, but a few second of thinking about it made everything fall into place. It's surprising, despairing and in every way terrible, leaving the audience with a very distinctive knot in their chests. In the Horror genre, combining such a twist with such a feeling (which definitely stays with you for a bit) makes for an excellent ending, and I personally firmly believe anticlimactic endings is perhaps the greatest bane of Horror today.
All in all, while lowering your expectations and standards will indeed help you enjoy the film all the more, Life is far from being another average act of mediocracy. It's compelling, suspenseful and terrible and delivers a very highly entertaining Horror experience. While many might disagree with me (as this is all just my personal opinion), I would recommend to anyone and everyone (even those who aren't regular Horror enthusiasts) not to miss out on this one.