Fridae

You must understand that the Brothers Strause (yes, they are literally brothers who go by the names of Colin and Greg when they’re not making films together) cut their teeth as visual effects producers for many reputable films (Titanic, 300, Terminator 3) before they somehow started to direct their own films, among which Aliens vs Predators: Requiem is the jewel in the crown.

Skyline is a film that showcases the Strause strength in visual effects, and in particular, 3D character modelling and design. Fittingly, the film is about an alien invasion and during the course of 90 minutes of the end of human civilisation as we know it, you will get to see aliens kidnap human beings, harvest them for things far worse than food, and stomp entire cities into oblivion.

As in any military invasion, the task is carried out by different types of troops, which translate to different types of alien creatures, which translates into an ideal showcase for the Strause modelling and design workshop, which probably should translate into either a line of MacFarlane-esque collectibles or a computer/console game adaptation in the near future.

Skyline works best if you watch it for the alien design and modelling alone. The action scenes have a strictly utilitarian feel – the directors want to show what they can do with their alien designs. The plot itself is so obligatory (and consequently flimsy) that you might as well just ignore it, just like we suspect the directors and writers did.

If you’re aspiring to be a 3D character modeller, Skyline is a perfect film to catch. That or Starship Troopers. But hey, Skyline is in cinemas right now!