Evolution (2001)

2.5 out of 4

Starring: David Duchovny, Orlando Jones, Julianne Moore, Seann William Scott, Ted Levine, Ethan Suplee, Dan Aykroyd

Director: Ivan Reitman

Time: 97 mins

Director Ivan Reitman hasn't had a decent hit in a while. While he struck the jackpot with the spook comedy Ghostbusters (1984) and the mismatched sibling hijinks of Twins (1988), none of his latter films, such as Six Days, Seven Nights, Junior, and Father's Day have been as successful. So what does he do in 2001? Go back to the formula of Ghostbusters, add a touch of Men in Black, and what we get is the new special effects-laden, sci-fi comedy wannabe, Evolution.

Reitman even casts David "Spooky Mulder" Duchovny, from TV's X-Files, as one of the two lead characters. While that may lend a bit of credibility (in the eyes of certain fans) to the film's alien invasion-type plot, Duchovny's dry humour is sometimes too lethargic just when the film needs a laugh-out-loud moment to propel it forward. Duchovny plays a former military scientist, Ira Kane, who is now teaching at a community college in Arizona. When local firefighting aspirant Wayne Green (American Pie's Seann William Scott) witnesses a meteorite landing on his car, Kane and his buddy, part-time geologist Harry Block (Orlando Jones), go and investigate. What they find is a source of single-celled organisms that evolve so fast they turn into more complex creatures like worms and giant butterflies within a matter of days. Soon the government comes on board, with Kane's despised former colleague, General Woodman (Ted Levine), and the CDC's (Center for Disease Control) representative, Allison Reed (Julianne Moore), at the helm. When the aliens evolve into flying lizards and menacing ape-like creatures, it's up to Kane, Block, and Reed to rescue the planet from this otherworldly threat.

I'm not really sure whether Reitman wanted Evolution to be a sci-fi comedy, or a special effects summer movie with lots of cool, computer-generated creatures. The comedy portion doesn't quite work, though there are several funny scenes, especially one in which Orlando Jones has been invaded by a spiteful bug and has to have it forcefully removed from his body (Jones' creative facial expressions have a lot to do with this). I think the problem is that Duchovny and Moore aren't natural comedians (though Duchovny has the dry delivery down pat, the script doesn't give him anything juicy to work with), unlike the trio of Bill Murray, Dan Aykroyd, and Harold Ramis in Ghostbusters. Moore, in particular, is supposed to generate laughs through her clumsiness, but such slapstick doesn't work. More laughs come from teen comedy alumnus Scott (American Pie and Road Trip) and Ethan Suplee (Remember The Titans) as a less-than-perfect student, but they only have minor parts.

The creature portion of the movie is supposed to engage our eyes and make us marvel, but the proliferation of computer-generated imagery in so many movies these days means such visuals aren't that groundbreaking anymore. Yes, some of Tippett Studio's (as in Phil Tippett, who has worked on flicks like Jurassic Park and Robocop) creations are quite spectacular, given the free reign they have in this movie (unlike the restrictions Industrial Light And Magic had with trying to create dinosaurs for Jurassic Park or tidal waves for Deep Impact), but many of the effects are still obviously computer-generated. It's hard to believe the technology still hasn't evolved enough to seamlessly mesh live action with computer graphics (the closest to date has probably been in Starship Troopers).

Out of the cast, probably only Orlando Jones comes out with his reputation enhanced. While neither he nor Duchovny could hope to compete with the well-honed timing of Murray, Aykroyd, et al, Jones does his best with the material he's got. Duchovny is workman-like, but seems torn between alternately trying to reprise his Mulder character from TV and sending it up. Moore only seems to be in the movie as a love interest, and nothing more. As for the rest of the cast, watch for a cameo from Ghostbusters' Aykroyd.

Evolution is harmless, early-summer entertainment. There are a few laughs and plenty of special effects. Though it doesn't quite deliver in its promise of spectacular action and laugh-a-minute thrills, it's never boring, and in these lazy, hazy days, that may be a blessing.

(c) Joe Wong (9 June 2001)