Today’s quick review: Evolution. When a meteor impact introduces alien life to a small Arizona town, biologist Ira Kane (David Duchovny) and geologist Harry Block (Orlando Jones) investigate the new organisms. But when the aliens adapt to Earth’s environment at an alarming rate, the two professors team up with Allison Reed (Julianne Moore), a clumsy epidemiologist, and Wayne Grey (Seann William Scott), an aspiring firefighter, to tackle the alien threat.
Evolution is a science fiction comedy from Ivan Reitman, the director and producer of Ghostbusters. Evolution follows two professors at a small-town community college as they investigate the find of a lifetime, only to be shut out of their discovery by the military. All the while, the alien organisms are adapting and evolving at an alarming rate, threatening to overrun the town if containment is breached.
Evolution features fun characters, decent humor, and a flimsy but adequate sci-fi plot. None of its aspects are all that inspired, but the movie has just enough quality to be entertaining to the right viewer. David Duchovny and Orlando Jones make a fine comedic duo, while Julianne Moore and Seann William Scott both get their moments. The acting isn’t outstanding, but the characters are charming in their own way.
The comedy comes from the movie’s odd characters, odder aliens, and steady stream of quips. The sense of humor is more amusing than hilarious, but the light tone and likable characters make even the smaller gags feel worthwhile. Evolution also manages to pull off an endearing, can-do attitude that makes up for some of its deficiencies in raw writing quality.
Watch Evolution when you are in the mood for a sci-fi comedy and are looking to be entertained. Neither the acting nor the writing is strong enough to make Evolution a surefire hit, but the movie is fun enough to entertain a willing audience. Skip it if you are looking for a great comedy rather than a good one, if you are averse to squishy sci-fi bugs, or you are not feeling generous.
6.0 out of 10 on IMDB. I give it a 6.5 to 7.0 for light humor, charming characters, and middling overall quality.