Film

What's on at the cinema plus reviews of the latest movie and DVD releases

Skyline (2010)

Director: Colin Strause, Greg Strause

Time Out rating

Average user rating

15 reviews

Movie review

From Time Out London

Let’s get one thing clear right from the off: ‘Skyline’ is a terrible, terrible movie. The dialogue is abysmal (‘Vaya con dios, you son of a bitch!’), the acting is even worse, the bulk of the story takes place in one LA penthouse and the plot makes absolutely no sense. For a good 45 minutes, very little happens: our heroes, Jarrod (TV veteran Eric Balfour) and his girlfriend Elaine (Scotty Thompson) arrive in LA for the birthday bash of their successful effects-designer pal Terry (Donald Faison), but just as they’re beginning to settle into the Hollywood lifestyle, wouldn’t you know it, aliens invade. Cue lots of flashing lights, yelling (‘We gotta get out of here!’) and fairly mediocre but intermittently impressive CGI effects.

But when the final act rolls around, it’s as if the filmmakers themselves just got bored of their own movie and decided to go a little nuts. One of our heroes gets flattened by a giant marauding bug-beast, a supporting character gets his brain sucked out, the US air cavalry pitch in to the join the fight, and things start to look up. By the time one of the leading actors takes it upon himself to batter a flying squid-creature to death with a brick, it’s becoming clear that resistance is indeed futile and it’s just easier to submit to the movie’s increasingly berserk parade of b-movie thrills. An extended coda tests the patience, but for a good twenty minutes ‘Skyline’ fulfils its low-rent remit. Imagine it’s 1953 and you’re watching a movie called ‘Brain Suckers from Planet X’, and you might even have a good time.

Author: Tom Huddleston

Time Out London Issue 2099: 17 – 11 November, 2011

Email Tweet Share

User reviews of this film

Robert said...

Posted on Jun 16 2011 06:37 Total agreement here, absolutely one of the lamest bits of celluloid EVER. The master stock and all copies should be destroyed or placed on a ship and sent to our enemies to drive them insane.

Report as inappropriate
Andreas said...

Posted on Apr 17 2011 12:01 I never take the time to write comments, but I felt compelled to, in order the save the human race from watching this really bad film. Was the ending supposed to be so bad that we would all talk about it, the film is that bad it will haunt me for the rest of my life!

Report as inappropriate
ed said...

Posted on Mar 14 2011 16:30 Actually better than BATTLE:: LOS ANGELES because the plot goes really bonkers towards the end? Who Knew? beyond that the SFX are the best of it's kind for this kind of mindless b-movie. Rotten dialogue, crap characters, good sci-fi for dopey dingus' everywhere.... Also 100% better than AVP2....

Report as inappropriate
Malcolm said...

Posted on Dec 25 2010 13:26 Yes, this is rubbish and everything the reviewer said is true, but I have to say it's entertaining, undemanding rubbish: Independence Day told from the micro level and without that film's sickening jingoism and no happy ending - and a lot scarier than Cloverfield. It keeps you watching and the effects are amazing, so if it's a rainy day and there's nothing else on, and you keep expectations under control you should enjoy it.

Report as inappropriate
Rick said...

Posted on Dec 07 2010 19:28 a goodtime, Ill have a even better time when they release "Critic Brain Suckers from Planet x. this was B movie like, but it was still cool, and yes the ending was to, just god forbid anyone make a ending that doesnt cater to the 'Nat' generation of nit-twitters with attention span of a nat

Report as inappropriate
Dan ford said...

Posted on Nov 27 2010 08:24 I loved it every1 should see it. Cant wait to buy it on 3d blu ray. And watch it every day 4 the rest of your life.

Report as inappropriate
jayneM said...

Posted on Nov 17 2010 18:50 This is the worst fil I have seen in a long time, the plot was poor, acting dreadful the ending was bizzare & the audience was laughing out loud - in the wrong kinda way! the CGI was the only good point of this film. Overall a wasted hour & half of my life - dire.

Report as inappropriate
scrumpyjack said...

Posted on Nov 15 2010 20:02 What these Bros. did for $10 M is execptional. However is it a "special" trip out movie? Just about, yeah! file along side RED and THE LAST EXORCISM and enjoy.....unless you didn't like those ................. obviously 6+/10

Report as inappropriate
Jonathan said...

Posted on Nov 13 2010 22:46 Abysmal,...... as satisfying as a Kraft Cheese Slice.... Wishas satisfying as a Kraft Cheese Slice, wish I'd stayed in and watched the re runs of Come Dine With Me,,,

Report as inappropriate
evie said...

Posted on Nov 13 2010 21:26 @frank - i guess i might have been superimposing my own personal post 9/11 anxiety of finding myself trapped in a tall city building under attack. hope you enjoyed the film anyhow

Report as inappropriate
frank said...

Posted on Nov 13 2010 20:36 evie, do people really have a fear 'of being fatally in the wrong place at the wrong time'? seems awfully non-specific.

Report as inappropriate
Evie said...

Posted on Nov 13 2010 18:37 Yes it gleefully rips off every sci-fi alien invasion film you've seen in the last two decades but its mostly quite scary and taps into fears of being fatally in the wrong place at the wrong time. It loses nothing for the lack of gore or A-Listers. The occasional spurts of laughter in the audience seemed to be in goodwill rather than derision. Unlike the TimeOut reviewer above, for me the ridiculousness of the ending was probably the best bit. Fun.

Report as inappropriate
Aires said...

Posted on Nov 13 2010 12:15 Saw this film last night and 9/10 of the film is really not too bad. The ending is a disappointment and a complete total let down to your intelligence. The official review above pretty much has it spot on. About 1/3 of the way through the film, if you have any brains you'll start to realise the whole film will take place in the hotel. Surprisingly they do keep up the suspense and the special effects are amazing. But it's kind of like they had a good idea for a film without a any clue about how to do a good ending. The film starts off so promisingly but it's just not as good as the adverts you'll have seen at the cinema or on telly would've led you to believe. To give it less than 7 out of 10 would be unfair (though my wife gave it a 5), but I only give it an 7 because of it's potential promise of what it could have been, and because of how good the special effects are. But it's not worth going to see folks, just wait until it comes out on DVD.

Report as inappropriate
Tim said...

Posted on Nov 12 2010 23:24 Have just seen it, would give it 8/10. Unlike some other disappointing films (I have The Forgotten in mind) there are plenty more good CGI action sequences in the film than in the trailer. Reviewers have complained of a lack of plot, but in that sense this film is no different from Cloverfield. We don't know the aliens intentions (unlike in Independence Day where there's a dubious scene where it's blatently spelled out for the audience). It's actually feels realistic. There's no WIll Smith hero flying jets and helicopters and single-handedly saving the Earth. There's no pew pew of space lasers, in fact the alien science is entirely "off worldly". You realise early in this film that America might not be saved in this film - but that's quite a refreshing change.

Report as inappropriate
Paul said...

Posted on Nov 12 2010 17:29 Just about to put the wet gear on to see this new film and I went and read your review. Oh well, thanks for saving me from a wet night and a damp squid.

Report as inappropriate