Review of Life (2017) by Laidoffgamer — 30 Mar 2017

Why is Life a good movie when so many critics are saying the opposite? First you must consider the fact that a movie about an alien killing humans is going to automatically be compared to Alien(s) on this face value alone.

However Calvin is no Xenomorph. Calvin has no desire to implant fear or babies into it's victims. Calvin wants what most of us want, to live and be left alone. Unlike the hilarious men in rubber suits though, Calvin's CGI makeup separates it from humans.

Where the Xenomorph has found a warm place in many critic's hearts, Calvin finds hate. Just like the Captain of the mission, you grow to hate Calvin for simply surviving and existing. Where the Xenomorph makes us laugh with its inability to control its own spittle while simultaneously intelligently murdering everyone for simply being there, Calvin makes us angry, and scared.

In fact the primary reason one would walk away from Life with disappointment is because us humans didn't win. Life isn't trying to present to you another impossible space Marine who saves everyone with fire, it's presenting the consequences of thinking we are the best and can win any fight vs creatures severly more advanced than us.

It doesn't do everything right, some parts drag, but when you think about the reality of the situation, it's all very plausible. Calvin is not a rampaging murderer, it's alone, attacked, and as our dear biologist states "just trying to survive".

Imagining that a group of intellectuals who's logics revolves around managing a space station everyday, would somehow become the guardians of the galaxy, well, you decide what you think, but I'm rather pleased that Calvin showed them where there's a will there's a way.