1982 / 84m - UK
Horror, Sci-fi
2.5*/5.0*
Xtro poster

Watches

June 08, 2020

2.5*/5.0*

Not bad. Not all that great either though, as the director seems ill-equipped to hide the film's low-budget roots. It's all very cheesy, at points even amateurish, but at least Davenport made the right choices and aims to make a genre film that impresses where it matters the most: the horror bits.

The acting is quite atrocious and the soundtrack is a complete fluke. The cinematography is overall decent, though the camera work isn't always up to par. Luckily the mystery is effective and the practical effects look decent enough, as does the creature design. It's nothing mind-blowing, but it does the job.

What makes the film stand out are its absurd touches. Things can get pretty freaky, without any clear purpose or explanation. That does make the film a bit incoherent at times, but it also adds tons of fun and intrigue. No doubt it's a little alienating for the general audience, but genre fans will be able to handle it just fine.