ALIENS IN THE ATTIC
by Jane Louise Boursaw
Reel Rating: 2 out of 5 Reels
MPAA Rating: PG for action violence, some suggestive humor, and language
Released in Theaters: July 31, 2009
Genre: Family, CG-Animated, Action, Adventure
Runtime: 86 minutes
Directed by: John Schultz
Cast: Ashley Tisdale, Carter Jenkins, Kevin Nealon, Gillian Vigman, Andy Richter, Doris Roberts, Austin Butler, Ashley Boettcher, Henri Young, Regan Young
SYNOPSIS: The Pearson family is heading off to vacation at a cottage in the country, but what they don’t know is that other visitors will be inhabiting the house, too. Namely, aliens who’ve come to take over the planet!
Sex/Nudity: A teenage couple flirts and uses phrases like "smoking hot" and "hooking up." There’s also talk about whether the guy has gotten to "second base" with the girl.
Violence/Gore: Most of the violence is cartoonish, and it’s clear that no one is really going to get hurt. Weapons include paint guns and potato guns, and the aliens have a device that allows them to remote-control people. A few fight scenes, but no blood.
Profanity: Mostly mild, including insults like "dumb," "shut up," "idiot," and "loser," as well as "crap" and "oh my God."
Which Kids Will Like It? Kids 7 and older who like action-oriented family movies with CG animated creatures.
Will Parents Like It? It’s a cute movie, but the characters and storyline are one-dimensional and nothing to write home about.
REVIEW: Remember when family movies used to be good? I can’t even think of a great family movie in recent months or even years. Ok, the "Harry Potter" movies and a stand-out here and there, like "Up" or "Kung Fu Panda." But most family movies fall in the mediocre category, the kind you either forget about the next day or don’t even see at all.
Such is the case with "Aliens in the Attic," an ok movie, in general, but nothing that makes you go home and call your friends and tell them to get to the movie theater right now! Sometimes you get the feeling some of these movies are made solely to create little creatures that can be sold in the kids’ meals at Burger King.
The story centers around a vacationing family that includes parents Stuart and Nina Pearson (Kevin Nealon) and Gillian Vigman), Uncle Nathan (Andy Richter), grandma Rose (Doris Roberts), and kids Tom (Carter Jenkins), Bethany (Ashley Tisdale), Jake (Austin Butler), Hannah (Ashley Boettcher), and twins Art and Lee (Henri Young and Regan Young).
Before I go any further, I must give a shout-out to Carter Jenkins. I’ve been a fan of his since his roles in the short-lived TV shows "Surface" and "Viva Laughlin." He’s growing up now, but showed his acting chops early on with those roles. And I hope he gets better roles than this movie!
So the family goes on vacation to an old cottage in the country, and not long after they arrive, the kids discover some other visitors living in the attic – aliens. Apparently, they’ve come to earth to take over the planet or some such thing. The usual storyline involving aliens. Only they really aren’t that organized, and there’s a toddler alien who makes friends with the youngest Pearson kid, Hannah.
I saw this movie with my 12-year-old daughter, and while we both agreed the little alien was cute, the movie as a whole didn’t make it for us. The characters are one dimensional and stereotypical – brainy kid, ditzy teen, sweet little one, twins tied to their hand-held games, clueless parents.
And it’s hard for me to see Kevin Nealon as the dad in a family movie when I’m used to seeing him as the slacker pothead on Showtime’s "Weeds." It really wasn’t great casting, in my mind. Doris Roberts is fine as the grandma, and gets to do some fun stunts when the aliens inject an energy wave into her that causes her to be remote controlled by a device. Same goes for Bethany’s dumb athlete boyfriend, Ricky (Robert Hoffman). Again with the stereotypes.
I guess this wouldn’t be a bad movie to see on DVD, if you didn’t have anything else going that day. And I did think the old house was pretty cool.
JANE’S REEL RATING SYSTEM:
One Reel – Even the Force can’t save it.
Two Reels – Coulda been a contender
Three Reels – Something to talk about.
Four Reels – You want the truth? Great flick!
Five Reels – Wow! The stuff dreams are made of.
Jane Louise Boursaw is a freelance journalist specializing in the movie and television industries. Visit her online at www.filmgecko.com, www.ReelLifeWithJane.com or email jboursaw@charter.net.