Synopsis
A few years from now, Earth will have the first contact with an alien civilization. These aliens, known as Newcomers, slowly begin to be integrated into human society after years of quarantine.
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Cast
- James CaanDet. Sgt. Matthew Sykes
- Mandy PatinkinDet. Samuel 'George' Francisco
- Terence StampWilliam Harcourt
- Kevyn Major HowardRudyard Kipling
- Leslie BevisCassandra
- Peter JasonFedorchuk
- Conrad DunnQuint
- Jeff KoberJoshua Strader
- Roger Aaron BrownDet. Bill Tuggle
- Francis X. McCarthyCapt. Warner
Recommendations
- 63
Portland Oregonian
While the whole film is well-made, it has surprisingly few surprises. There are some small ones, but the plot and many details are predictable down to small details. [7 Oct 1988, p.F13] - 60
The New York Times
Eventually, though it happens later rather than sooner, the conventional aspects of Alien Nation overwhelm the novelty. - 60
Variety
Solid performances by leads James Caan and his humanoid buddy-cop partner Mandy Patinkin move this production beyond special effects, clever alien makeup and car chases. - 50
Chicago Sun-Times
The movie is simply a failure of imagination. Nobody looked at the screenplay and observed that it didn’t try hard enough, that it had no surprises, that it didn’t attempt to delight its audiences with twists and turns on the phoned-in plotline. - 50
Chicago Tribune
Alien Nation is a sluggish, forced and hopelessly derivative action thriller, sporadically redeemed by the wit of its stars and the velvety sheen of Greenberg's night photography. - 50
Los Angeles Times
There are, thankfully, a few humorous and imaginative touches here and there, but Alien Nation is hardly inspired. - 50
Miami Herald
Though there's some wit on the fringes (including splendid use of a Reagan stump-speech line), the whole thing plays a lot like a Miami Vice via Star Trek. [7 Oct 1988, p.E10] - 40
Washington Post
Alien Nation wants to be "In the Heat of the Night" as science fiction, but it's neither morally instructive nor prophetic. It proves a lumbering marriage of action and sci-fi that alienates both audiences. It's too dull for one and too dumb for the other.
