Today’s quick review: Skylines. Five years after Rose Corley (Lindsey Morgan) stopped the Harvester invasion, a virus threatens to turn millions of freed Pilots—humans trapped in alien bodies—back into mindless killing machines. General Radford (Alexander Siddig) recruits Rose, her Pilot brother Trent (Jeremy Fitzgerald), and a team of soldiers to travel to the Harvester homeworld and recover a device that will cure the Pilots.
Skylines is a sci-fi action movie and the third entry in the Skyline series. Skylines picks up years after Beyond Skyline and follows Rose, a young woman born with control over Harvester technology, as she tries to stop a new threat to humanity. Skylines escalates the story of the series quite well. Although it doesn’t break the mold for the sci-fi genre, solid special effects and stunt work make it a worthwhile watch for the right viewer.
Skylines has the kind of quality that most budget movies strive for. The special effects are a smooth mix of practical and CGI, and they are used in smart and consistent ways. The actors are capable martial artists, allowing the movie to throw in some flashy hand-to-hand combat to complement its sci-fi firefights. And while the plot is nothing special, it checks all the boxes it needs to, with a clear conflict and plenty of action.
None of this amounts to an outstanding movie. The characters are shallow if serviceable, the dialogue is generic, and none of the plot twists are all that shocking. The movie also has to deal with the baggage of its predecessors. The plot only makes sense as a sequel to Beyond Skyline, and the movie is locked into some odd visual and narrative choices. The result is something that will only really appeal to fans of budget sci-fi.
Give Skylines a shot if you’re interested in budget action movies that show unusual polish. Although the series has traveled far from its roots with the horror-tinged alien invasion flick Skyline, the third movie carves out a niche for itself with skilled stunt work and special effects that punch above their weight. However, you should steer clear if you are looking for star power, sharp writing, or a riveting plot.
For a sci-fi action movie in a similar vein, check out Alien vs. Predator, Predators, or The Predator. For budget sci-fi with top-notch practical effects and a more subdued story, try Prospect.
[4.7 out of 10 on IMDB](https://www.imdb.com/title/tt9387250/). I give it a 6.0 to 6.5 for good action fundamentals held back by a mediocre story.