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Evolution

Tom Amos

Starring: David Duchovny, Julianne Moore, Orlando Jones, Seann William Scott, Dan Ackroyd

Director: Ivan Reitman

Category: IIA

The film: Ivan Reitman has been responsible for some pretty funny films in the past including Animal House, Stripes and Ghostbusters. The latter really propelled him to the top of the Hollywood food chain where he has been able to pick and choose his projects at will.

However, it seems he has increasingly been running out of original material (Father's Day, Junior) and Evolution is no exception. Coming a good four years after Men In Black, this film is basically Ghostbusters with aliens - a sci-fi comedy as it were. Um, this has been done already, Mr Reitman.

It has also been done a lot better. Evolution's basic premise is that a meteor lands on Earth and it contains basic extraterrestrial life that soon starts to mimic the evolution of life on Earth as it adjusts to the atmosphere. However, everything is evolving very quickly and most of it is particularly nasty.

It seems help is at hand though, with two rookie scientists with bad reputations (David Duchovny, right, and Orlando Jones) teaming up with an idiot fireman (Seann William Scott of American Pie) and a government scientist (Julianne Moore) to save the Earth. All they need to complete the picture is a white van with flashing lights and a catchline of 'Who you gonna call'. It is dire - with only Jones' performance helping to lift the film. Otherwise, just get Ghostbusters out.

The extras: Inexcusably, for a film this weak and so heavy on special effects, there is little in the way of bonus material. Bar the usual cast bios, there's just an HBO TV documentary and it's pretty boring - lots of Reitman saying how funny he is and all the cast saying how great the film is (maybe aliens have come to Earth and taken up residence in Hollywood?).

The verdict: Pretty poor all round. If you want sci-fi comedy get Men In Black and if you want a good Reitman film, get Ghostbusters instead.

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