Forgettable Sci-fi Carnage Besets Youth in Kids vs. Aliens (2023)
Title: Kids vs. Aliens
First Non-Festival Release: January 20, 2023 (Limited Theatrical Release)
Director: Jason Eisener
Writer: John Davies, Jason Eisener
Runtime: 75 Minutes
Starring: Dominic Mariche, Phoebe Rex, Calem MacDonald
Where to Watch: Check out where to find it here
When growing up, kids tend to act out the various ways that they would save the world when fighting against evil or monsters or the unknown. What happens when they get their chance to do that in the real world?
This is the reality for Gary (Dominic Mariche), Jack (Asher Grayson), and Miles (Ben Tector). When Gary’s sister Samantha (Phoebe Rex) abandons the trio as they are filming their latest monster movie mele to hang out with some older teenagers, the group is dejected to say the least. When the teenagers convince Samantha to host a rager while their parents are out of town, the kids decide to start a war. Amidst the newfound sibling rivalry, aliens emerge from the depths of their lake to abduct whoever they can for sinister purposes.
Lean, throwback sci-fi- horror Kids vs. Aliens struggles to find its footing between its strong production values and mediocre script.
The original V/H/S/2 segment “Slumber Party Alien Abduction” works for plenty of reasons, and it makes sense that a director would want to expand upon the original concept. The idea of a bunch of kids fighting off an alien menace is one that's ripe with potential. Kids vs. Aliens doesn’t do much more than the original short. In the original, a smaller cast of kids with believable dynamics is besieged over the course of one night making the venture grounded and sufficiently tense.
There lies the problem with Kids vs. Aliens. By ballooning the story, it loses the sense of intimacy and isolation that makes the source material so compelling. It also suffers from a serious case of its concept getting stretched too thin. The action isn’t exciting or scary enough to pack a punch, and the lack of development afforded to the leads makes it difficult to stay emotionally invested in their journey. Nearly all development is squeezed out of a weak subplot where Samantha takes one day away from hanging out with her brother and his friends to spend time with people her own age.
Rough writing stretches out a short concept into something that feels interminable between one note characterization and flaccid dialogue. The problem is introduced early on, but the aliens take their time stalking their prey before making their move. This is fine until they do make their first attack. The action moves along rather nicely but it's a roadblock as soon as the party begins to rage. From there, Kids vs. Aliens morphs into scene after scene of wish fulfillment that doesn’t earn its emotional beats. Cartoonishly evil teenagers, extremely dumb aliens, and a tendency to turn on and off rules to serve as plot armor makes it difficult to stay engaged with Kids vs. Aliens despite its swift runtime.
The core cast is likable but doesn’t elevate the material enough to make their performances believable or compelling. There isn't much to the kid friends that hang out together every day. Generally, their personalities are interchangeable at best and absent at worst. The child actors do their best with what is given, but their dialogue feels starkly out of place. It's clear that the team went out to make an 80s inspired film but unfortunately set it in the present day, which makes many of their characterization choices feel out of date.
Despite its low budget, Kids vs. Aliens maintains strong production values that bolster the film’s style in fun and unique ways. Aesthetically pleasing and sufficiently adrenaline fueled, Kids vs. Aliens is well-directed despite its paper-thin premise. It's clear there is a very distinct 80s influence on the film, most notably in its use of bright neon lights and colors to draw in this sense of nostalgia. It's playful, energetic, and fun, which is all it really needs to be. Kids vs. Aliens also does a great job at implementing practical effects work to make its world one that looks as real as possible when depicting the alien carnage.
Bright, pulsating lights, hordes of drunk teenagers, and nonstop alien action would be the perfect setup for a fun dumb horror movie, but Kids vs. Aliens doesn’t do much with its admittedly thin premise. Its commitment to aesthetics does well for its attempts to ring in nostalgia but fails to adequately present a story worth following to those who want something more than callbacks. Great gore, sharp cinematography, and strong set design make the venture appealing enough for genre enthusiasts though. If you find yourself yearning for silly, dumb fun reminiscent of your favorite 80s B-movies, then Kids vs. Aliens should be on your watch list.
Overall Score? 5/10
