Rating summary

Movie		4.0
Video		4.0
Audio		4.5
Extras		0.0
Overall		3.5

Alien Nation Blu-ray Movie Review

Reviewed by Dr. Svet Atanasov April 16, 2016

Winner of Saturn Award for Best Science Fiction Film, Graham Baker's "Alien Nation" (1988) arrives on Blu-ray courtesy of Australian label Umbrella Entertainment. There are no supplemental features on this release. In English, without optional English SDH subtitles for the main feature. Region-Free.

Detective Sykes

The film is set in the not so distant future after hundreds of thousands of alien immigrants from another galaxy have arrived on Earth. America has enthusiastically welcomed them and many have found jobs and started small businesses. But there is plenty of tension in the air. Many ordinary Americans are concerned that the aliens have created an isolated community and that it is only a matter of time before they choose to destroy them. Political and social leaders from both sides have tried to tone down the concerns, but their efforts have led to even more animosity amongst residents.

Detective Sykes (James Caan, Thief) is convinced that the aliens should have never been allowed to settle down in America. After their arrival he has seen the streets change for the worse -- each year there have been more robberies and murders; the drug pushers have also multiplied. He admits that there are good individuals amongst them but is convinced that the bad ones have abused the system and irreversibly broken the foundation of their relationship with his country.

When Sykes’ partner is killed in a shootout he is teamed up with Francisco (Mandy Patinkin, French Postcards), the first alien detective in LA. Rather reluctantly, Sykes begins working with Francisco and he quickly helps him identify a number of possible suspects, all of them aliens with reputations in their community. During their investigation Sykes and Francisco also confront one of the most prominent newcomers, William Harcourt (Terence Stamp, The Hit), who has built an empire while producing and distributing a powerful new drug.

Graham Baker’s film could not be any more relevant today. It was completed in 1988 and it was likely intended to be a stylish sci-fi noir picture but the situation that it describes is now very much a reality. It sees America as a divided nation with multiple categories of residents and facing social issues that are basically unsolvable. The film even spends some time exposing the hypocrisy of the culture of political correctness that has profoundly changed America in recent years.

The adventures of the two unlikely partners played by Caan and Patinkin are largely predictable but their conversations are fascinating to behold. The veteran cop’s extreme views make it difficult for him to trust his newly promoted partner but eventually he undergoes a transformation that allows him to see the world around him from a completely different angle. The transformation that begins in the third act, however, is arguably the film’s Achilles’ heel, as it allows Baker to safely wrap up the story with a questionable message that at the end ‘extremism’ is always defeated. (The entire film actually argues quite successfully that the cop really isn’t as prejudiced as it may initially appear, and that it is in fact the socio-economic environment in which he exists that breeds the ‘extremism’ that has divided the communities and created the criminal types that have made the streets dangerous).

Large portions of the film are either quite dark or boasting a stylish neon-esque look. The choice of primary colors and nuances is also excellent. The film's retro-futuristic atmosphere will likely remind some viewers of James Cameron’s classic action thriller The Terminator, but this should not be surprising as both films were lensed by cinematographer Adam Greenberg.

Alien Nation Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

Presented in an aspect ratio of 2.34:1, encoded with MPEG-4 AVC and granted a 1080p transfer, Graham Baker's Alien Nation arrives on Blu-ray courtesy of Australian label Umbrella Entertainment.

Large portions of the film are either quite dark or boasting a unique neon-esque look. Contrast is also quite delicate, supporting the desired retro-futuristic atmosphere. These are unique qualities that are retained rather well, though the master that was used to source the release isn't brand new. Detail and depth never disappoint, but it isn't difficult to see that there is room for improvement. Brightness levels also could have been managed better. There are no traces of recent degraining or sharpening adjustments. Image stability is very good. There are no distracting debris, cuts, damage marks, stains, or warped frames to report in our review. To sum it all up, the film can certainly look fresher and more vibrant in high-definition, but the current technical presentation is quite nice. (Note: This is a Region-Free Blu-ray release. Therefore, you will be able to play it on your player regardless of your geographical location).

Alien Nation Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

There is only one standard audio track on this Blu-ray release: English DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1. Optional English SDH subtitles are not provided for the main feature.

During the action sequences depth and clarity are very good. Separation is also effective, though you should not expect to hear impressive surround movement. The dialog is stable and clean. It is not difficult to follow it either, but optional English subtitles should have been provided as there are a couple of sequences where some native unevenness emerges. There are no audio dropouts, pops, background hiss, or digital distortions to report in our review.

Alien Nation Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

Unfortunately, there are no supplemental features to be found on this release.

Alien Nation Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

Graham Baker's Alien Nation really could not be any more relevant today. Perhaps back in 1988 when it was released many of its observations about race and immigration might have felt a bit too far-fetched, but now they seem spot on. It is a pretty good action film as well, with a retro-futuristic atmosphere that certainly reminds of James Cameron's The Terminator. The film is currently available on Blu-ray only in Australia courtesy of local label Umbrella Entertainment. If you like it, definitely consider upgrading your DVD release. RECOMMENDED.