Species (1995)

Okay, so I just watched Species (1995) with my girlfriend, and we had a great time watching this. There’s some wild performances, some very unsexy boobs, and wonderful creature designed from HR Geiger (but a very bad rubber suit).

This film is trying to be titillating, so fast, so weirdly funny, and so utterly nonsensical that I laughed so hard I almost choked. Like, why did they have to kill Sil after she had a dream where her eyeballs moved?

I have to say, the core dynamics of the central four were so much like the Scooby Gang going after a supernatural force, but with way more… sperm.)

Michelle Williams? Genius. She sold being a scared, confused alien so well I almost believed she was actually the alien (and yes, I know that’s a terrible thing to say, but her performance was chef’s kiss). And the adult scene? Absolutely terrible. I know this role is hard to do, but it’s definitely been done better by performers like Arnold Schwarzenegger in Terminator (he knew what he was doing).

I did love that it tries to explore themes of men feeling the sting and pain of sexual assault (like Alien did with its creature designs by HR Geiger), but it does it so dumbly that it’s almost funny. Under the Skin? That’s where they got it right.

So yeah, Species is a 2-star movie that’s also the funniest, most nonsensical movie I’ve ever watched with my girlfriend. We laughed so hard we cried. And honestly? If you want to see what actually works with these themes, go watch Under the Skin. It’s the only movie that gets it.

Also on Letterboxd