TOP ALIEN INVASION FILMS

In FINAL RECALL, Wesley Snipes is a no-nonsense survivalist trying to stop aliens from taking over planet Earth, and attempting to convince a cabin full of teens what is at stake. All the elements of a knockout aliens versus humans sci-fi chiller are in place - creepy creatures, dazzling effects, abductions into a flying saucer, and Snipes charging around the woods in army gear, Predator-style, with a pump-action shotgun, blasting at black-eyed beasties in an attempt to save humanity. Here are some other choice alien invasion films to keep you watching the skies…

DAY OF THE TRIFFIDS (1963)

This adaptation of John Wyndham’s classic novel sees Earth attacked my giant plants - triffids - after a meteor shower hits the planets. Howard Keel and co fight back - with scythes, shovels and weed killer! Wyndham’s book was also turned into a TV mini-series in the 1980s, which is very scary and, after watching it, you’ll never trust a lettuce again.

INVASION OF THE BODY SNATCHERS (1978)

Philip Kaufman’s horror sci-fi epic, based on Jack Finney’s novel, is set in San Francisco, where aliens are craftily cloning humans in pods, in a bid to take over. The aliens do their dirty work at night - when you sleep - and you can’t tell when someone is actually an alien clone. Except that they don’t show any emotion. It’s genuinely frightening, and all about who is real, and who is an imposter pod person. Donald Sutherland, Jeff Goldblum, Brooke Adams and Leonard Nimoy star. Wait a minute - Leonard Nimoy - you mean Spock, the emotionless Vulcan? Run for your lives...

XTRO (1982)

“Some extra-terrestrials aren’t friendly” - this brilliantly lurid and gory British chiller that acted as an adult alternative to the saccharine box office smash E.T - The Extra-Terrestrial, from the same year. A man abducted by aliens returns, and wreaks havoc on his family. How? Well, he’s acting strange, and there’s a weird cocoon thing in the cellar. The film features a terrifying upside alien creature, nudity, slime, a gruesome birth scene and a mad clown - which makes it a must see.

LIFEFORCE (1985)

This big budget, British made sci-fi blockbuster, directed by Tobe Hooper (Poltergeist), sees a mission to space returning having retrieved three bodies entombed in glass caskets - big mistake. One of the bodies - a nude woman - escapes, and goes on the rampage in London, sucking the life out of anyone she encounters and turning them into skeletal zombies. It is up to astronaut Steve Railsback to find the naked vampire lady and halt the devastating invasion. If you don’t enjoy this delirious mix of zombie movie and disaster flick, well, you’re probably a pod person.

CRITTERS (1986)

Of all the planets in the galaxy, they chose ours… hairy little walking hedgehogs with rows and rows of sharp teeth, called Krites, land in a small farming town and start to attack the locals. Luckily there are some intergalactic bounty hunters not far behind to help save the day. The Krites aren’t too easy to get rid of, however - the film spawned three sequels, with part three giving an early role to a certain Leonardo DiCaprio, possibly inspiring his ongoing campaign to save the planet.

THEY LIVE (1988)

Roddy Piper stars in John Carpenter’s soon to be remade classic, as a construction worker who stumbles upon - thanks to some helpful sunglasses - a plot by aliens to take over the planet by turning the populace into helpless working drones. A brilliant satire on corporations and government, it is also an action-packed thriller that sees Piper on top form attempting to kick alien ass. The fleshy, skull headed aliens are sinister as hell, and the film hasn’t dated - in fact, it only seems more relevant today.

ALIEN ABDUCTION: INCIDENT IN LAKE COUNTY (1998)

An early, and highly effective found footage film, where a family dinner is interrupted by a blackout. Then some unwanted guests arrive. Who are they, and what do they want? Put it this way, on their planet, humans are the main course. Pass the mashed potatoes, and load the shotgun.

BATTLE LOS ANGELES (2011)

It could have been called Marines Versus Aliens, as a platoon of soldiers go toe to toe with invaders in modern day LA in this no nonsense action spectacular starring Aaron Eckhart and Michelle Rodriguez. At first glance the aliens look like an unstoppable force. But they haven’t counted on one thing: Marines never quit!

FINAL RECALL is released on DIGITAL DOWNLOAD 14th August, and DVD & BLU-RAY 21st August 2017, courtesy of Signature Entertainment.