The Alien Within

Watch The Alien Within

"Only one species can rule the Earth... it may no longer be human."
  • R
  • 1995
  • 1 hr 14 min
  • 4.2  (326)

The Alien Within is a science fiction movie from 1995, directed by Scott P. Levy and starring Roddy McDowall, Alex Hyde-White and Melanie Shatner. The movie tells the story of a group of scientists who discover an alien embryo inside a meteorite that has landed on Earth. The scientists decide to incubate the alien embryo and study it, only to find that the alien has the ability to manipulate and control the minds of the people around it.

The movie begins with the discovery of the meteorite by a group of scientists who are out on a research mission. They bring the meteorite back to their lab and begin to study it, but are surprised to find an alien embryo inside it. They decide to keep the alien alive and incubate it, in order to study it further. However, as the days go by, strange things begin to happen. The scientists begin to behave erratically, and one by one, they fall under the control of the alien.

Roddy McDowall plays Dr. Dennet, the lead scientist who is responsible for the incubation of the alien. He is initially excited about the discovery, but as the alien begins to take control of his colleagues' minds, he becomes increasingly concerned. Alex Hyde-White plays Dr. David Shaw, another scientist working on the project. He starts to experience strange symptoms, such as blackouts and memory loss, and begins to suspect that there is something sinister at work. Melanie Shatner plays Rita Talbot, a journalist who is reporting on the scientists' discovery. She becomes caught up in the events and finds herself in danger as the alien's powers grow.

As the alien's control over the scientists increases, the tension in the movie builds. The scientists become increasingly paranoid and violent, as they are compelled to do the bidding of the alien. The movie is effective in creating a sense of claustrophobia as the action is confined to the research lab, and there is a sense of the walls closing in on the characters as they become more and more trapped.

The special effects in the movie are somewhat dated by today's standards, but they are well done for a movie of this era. The alien is suitably creepy, with a slimy, insectoid appearance, and its powers are portrayed effectively through the use of practical effects such as glowing eyes and distorted voices.

The performances in the movie are generally solid, with Roddy McDowall and Alex Hyde-White in particular delivering strong portrayals of their characters. Melanie Shatner is somewhat wooden in her role, but this is unsurprising given that this was one of her first acting roles.

Overall, The Alien Within is an enjoyable science fiction movie that fans of the genre will appreciate. It is not a classic of the genre, but it is a well-executed B-movie with an interesting premise and some tense moments. It is a movie that is likely to appeal to fans of movies such as The Thing and Invasion of the Body Snatchers.

The Alien Within
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Description
  • Release Date
    1995
  • MPAA Rating
    R
  • Runtime
    1 hr 14 min
  • Language
    English
  • IMDB Rating
    4.2  (326)