Review of Extinction (2018) by Notsoavragejoe — 26 Jul 2018

A movie that started with promise and fell off very quickly near the end. The premise, while entertaining, leaves too many questions, no answers, and no lasting satisfaction. While Michael Peña did amazing in Antman, the movie didn't create a relatable character for him to play.

I will say however that the father was surprisingly competent and not unlikable, but he never did anything to stand out compared to other father-figure characters. Most of the characters were generic or down right annoying and unlikable, like the children.

Good God the children. Never once did I care about the danger the children were in or their potential fate. If anything the movie would have been better if they had been killed off or never existed, they were that inconsequential to the overall narrative.

They were useless, more akin to a huge burden, and a general detriment to the survival of their parents and those around them. They made so many stupid decisions that it just boggles the mind. The only person of real "attachment" character wise was the father and the mother (better described as husband and wife because the children didn't matter), but only because the story lacked any other meaningful characters.

The visuals, sound design, and overall feel of the movie however are fantastic. There is some decent action, a real feeling of suspense and dread, and a (however fleeting) sense of satisfaction when we learn what is actually happening and why.

Despite the hour and a half run time, they only manage to tell half of the story, so you'll finish this movie feeling empty and wanting. The "twist" opens the story up to too many questions that the movie just skips or ignores for bad pacing.

If you're really big into alien invasion movies, then this might scratch an inch. If not, you're not missing out on anything fantastic.