Species II Studio:
MGM
Starring:
Natasha Henstridge
Michael Madsen
Marc Helgenberger		 Director:
Peter Medak		 Regional code:
2		 Disc Format:
Single Sided, Single Layer
Screenplay:
Chris Brancato		 Aspect Ratio:
16:9		 Anamorphic:
Yes
Year:
1997		 Sound:
Dolby Digital 5.1		 Subtitles:
English Closed Captions, English
Genre:
Sci Fi / Horror / Monster
Extra disc featues:
Director's commentary, 4 extended / additional scenes, theatrical trailer, animated menu with music, 8 page booklet		 Length:
89mins
   

Review of the DVD - rating: * * * * 1/2

Review of the film - rating: * * *
Top notch picture transfer is accompanied by a staggering sound mix that seems to have culled some extra decibels from somewhere - this is one LOUD mother, even with the amp turned to the normal settings. Heavy use is made of subs and surrounds throughout, and they prove that gore and splatter is even more disgusting in 5.1 - a couple of choice moments are shockingly gross as entrails splatter around you.

Peter "The Krays" Medak talks his way through all this nonsense as if he's making The Seventh Seal, having us empathise with the (apparently) extremely difficult task of filming with 2 gorgeous, naked women. The extra scenes are a little disappointing though - the one referred to above and the strip club are two, and are almost indistinguishable from the final version save for burnt in timecode everywhere. After one other silly extended effect of a tongue, that leaves only one actual new scene, inaccurately titled "The Transvestite". This is fun idea for the sex-mad alien man here, and things develop between him and the (as it turns out) transexual pretty much as you'd expect.

On top of these, we have some very nice packaging, with the 8 page booklet "60 gallons of fake blood and goo, folks!!!", theatrical trailer and a scary animated menu with stereo wierdy noises. A shame that the extras scenes promise more than they deliver, since otherwise this is grade A stuff.

 Unusual sequel has a plot all of its own, and doesn't simply retread the first film. The first manned expedition to Mars returns with more than soil samples, and soon one of the astronauts starts practicing very unsafe sex. Meanwhile, a sedated, more human clone of the original Sil is held in a lab, and her ESP powers are used to track the new monster down before he "f**ks the planet to death". Hey, it could happen.

This ups the sex and gore contents which will appal and (mainly, I suspect) delight at the same time. Yes, this really is pretty damn unpleasant at times. But at least the impact is diminished since, like the first film, things are too silly for words in places, and there are plenty of unintentional laughs. That helps in my book, and at 89 minutes, it's never less than entertaining.