Alien Love presented, reviews of film Threat

Let’s face it: being an astronaut is still one of the coolest jobs you can imagine. It’s certainly cooler than being a freelance film critic. But who’s to say that once they leave the friendly confines of the Earth’s atmosphere, there aren’t nefarious forces at work? Scientists? We stopped listening to them years ago. Director Simon Oliver’s charming Extraterrestrial Lovewritten by Nathan Hill and Simon Salamon, eagerly addresses the possibility that astronauts may not return to Earth completely unscathed. They may become something extraterrestrial.

The astronaut in question is Ryan Van Hill-Song (Hill). He’s an Australian on an important mission for NASA (best not to ask questions), leaving behind his incredibly attractive partner Sadie (Ira Chakraborty). His mission goes according to plan, except for a brief breakdown in communication. Sadie eagerly awaits Ryan’s return, and when she picks him up from the airport, she notices that he’s not quite the same.

Ryan leads a perfectly normal life, but bizarre interactions with old friends and a strange obsession with vehicles (including a Tesla, an alien vehicle if I’ve ever seen one) signal to Sadie that Ryan isn’t quite himself anymore. It seems his mission wasn’t routine after all. Sadie soon becomes pregnant, proving that at least part of Ryan is in tip-top shape. But maybe this isn’t a normal pregnancy. How does Sadie reconcile her new reality with the shell of the man who returned from space? And why is NASA intelligence so keenly interested in his whereabouts?

“…their new reality with the shell of the man who returned from space.”

We must not take Extraterrestrial Love completely serious, and that approach is a lot of fun. The director is willing to make trash, and the general corniness is part of his overall appeal. Hill overdoes it, and Chakraborty is willing to show his devotion as a loyal wife, even though the likelihood of their relationship seems fantastical (being an astronaut certainly has its perks). The film is at its best during the interactions between the new Ryan and his old world.

There are moments where more attention could have been paid to the script. There are a few unnecessary plot threads and by the end we wish more loose ends had been tied up. The dialogue throughout feels stilted and cries out for a few organic interactions. All in all, you wouldn’t and shouldn’t expect an eloquent script in a film about an Australian astronaut who impregnates his wife with an alien baby. It’s always important to know your audience and Oliver and co. have certainly not tailored the film to lovers of formally adventurous, slow-paced cinema.

Extraterrestrial Love is a success because it delivers on its promise of being a silly science fiction adventure that can easily be compared to the cheesy genre films of the past. That’s ultimately why viewers should watch this film in the first place. They won’t be disappointed. The film is perfect for a quiet evening or for those who want to fulfill their far-fetched dream of conquering the cosmos for NASA. Extraterrestrial Love has enough personality to help achieve these not-so-ambitious goals.