Skyline (2010).

When I first saw the initial trailers for "Skyline", I was not impressed. Once again there was a film that offered spectacle but did it offer anything else? A good script, engaging performances, likeable characters? Call me old fashioned but I do consider these to be important attributes to any film. Well I finally caught up with "Skyline", in the comfort of my own lounge, an environment that is often more forgiving that the cinema itself. As I suspected, "Skyline" turned out exactly as I predicted and once again I was left as viewer thinking "so what?"
Skyline is technically well made. The film opens with a startling event, then lapses into a flashback to introduce the characters and set the scene. This is executed efficiently and within 15 minutes the film moves onto to the action. The cast, drawn mainly from a TV background are competent. The story follows a traditional arc climaxing in what the writers obviously considered a twist. The ending leave the door firmly open for a sequel should the need arise. The visual effects are high quality but they did constitute over 90% of the films budget.

Despite all the above, "Skyline" is derivative, clichéd, predictable and utterly disposable. It is not dull but conversely it is not especially engaging. You can happily watch it whilst performing another task. The characters are not unlikeable as they were in "Cloverfield", but they are not sufficiently developed to merit any serious emotional investment. For instance, David Zayas plays an intriguing concierge who seems to be the only practical member of the group. Yet his back story is never explored and apart from a pithy "kiss off", his role doesn't really go anywhere.
Directors of "Skyline", The Brothers Strause, have a technical background in the industry and own the visual FX studio "Hydraulx". Their pedigree speaks for itself. Yet 90 minutes of CGI does not a good film make. Frankly, the proliferation of visual effects in films, TV, advertising and gaming these days has somewhat jaded the public's attitude to them. They are expected but at the same time are no longer a major point of interest. How many time have we seen a major US city demolished. In the 70's this was a rare event but now days its a common as politicians lies. Apart from "Avatar" I cannot think of any recent film that got by purely on the visuals.

In many respects "Skyline" is like a 50's B film. It tries to follow the path of larger budget predecessors. You only have to look at the imagery that is used such as the spaceships over Los Angeles or the squid like harvesting drones. The familiarity of the material reflects a cinematic fast food culture. After an innocuous viewing experience akin to a drive-thru meal, the audience soon forgets the inherently bland cinematic experience that has been partaken off. Without the substance of a genuinely good script or a original angle, "Skylines" big spectacle becomes no more than a cheap one.