Alien Attack: Area 51, directed and co-written by Benjamin Ironside Koppin, is a sci-fi comedy romp. It follows the fortunes of Darren (played by Koppin), who runs his own podcast, Close Encounters of the Me Kind, which records various alien-based sightings around Area 51. Darren has found his own online community that shares their own experiences, and he broadcasts clips and content to his followers as he tries to uncover the secrets of alien incursions at the legendary UFO hot spot. Darren befriends Connor (J J Carol), an avid follower of the podcast, and after communicating online for six months, the pair become self-proclaimed best friends and arrange to spend the weekend together at Darren’s house in the hope of unveiling the secrets behind the mysterious sightings of an alien often seen in the area. Through the shaky lens of Darren’s camera, they engage in alien-influenced chats, location visits, and terrible, terrible songs, and we start to suspect that all is not what it seems with Connor and the motivations for his visit.
If you are a fan of The Office and the kind of cringe-inducing, drawn-out comedy that made up the majority of that show, and of course, many others in its wake, then you will be in tune with the initial tone of this offering. Awkward interactions, pieces to camera, stilted dialogue, embarrassing moments involving bodily functions, it’s all here, and although the sci-fi setting does sidestep it from shows like The Office, the vibe has all been done before, and sadly, you can’t help feeling that you have seen this all done better.
“…unveiling the secrets behind the mysterious sightings of an alien …”
The length of this production is a problem, as for a full length feature there’s just not enough meat on the bone, and it does feel as if this could have been wrapped up in around 30 minutes. By the third act, where it all goes a bit, Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy, you are really hoping for it to be finished.
There is definitely an idea here, but honestly, it feels like an extended skit, and the whole mockumentary premise eventually throws that towel in, too. Going into this movie cold, there was a moment that you could squint and see the start of what may have been a McPherson Tapes-style horror fighting to get out, but it soon becomes obvious that comedy is the route the team wanted to go for, and we all know how difficult that can be to get right.
The script and gags all seem aimed at a family audience, so there’s not a lot of danger or edge on show, and as a result, it all gets stale very quickly. Maybe this was what they were going for, and if so, then it hits its target, but a shorter cut would have done the film a favor, and a tighter, less obvious script that veered away from the final scenario might have made for a more engaging statement about the nature of these kinds of podcasts. We are all familiar with YouTube channels that flourish, presenting clips and reacting to every drone or light in the sky, and there may have been a chance to satirize that kind of content without the over-the-top fantasy elements that Alien Attack: Area 51 was desperate to present.
"…cringe inducing drawn-out comedy "
