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Alien Trespass

  • Is it age appropriate?

    About our ratings

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    Not age appropriate for kids under 8, age appropriate for kids over 10; suggested age 10.
  • Is it any good?

    2.0
  • Common Sense says

    Retro-style sci-fi action spoof tries hard but doesn't work.

Why We Rated This on for Ages 10 and Up

The good stuff

  • Messages:

    Recreating the style of a '50s sci-fi B movie, the film does have a gentle message about not judging those who are different -- in this case, an alien lawman -- without getting to know them. Departing from '50s standards, the main female character is resourceful rather than weak or passive.
 

What to watch out for

  • Violence:

    Mostly fairly stylized sci-fi violence; for example, a monster attacks with tentacles, dissolving its victims into brown, foamy goo. Some scuffling and ray gun blasts directed at monsters. A policeman shoots the hero in the shoulder.
  • Sex:

    Some kissing; some flirty talk between a husband and wife while she's wearing a nighdress. Teens make out but stop to talk about "going all the way"; their dalliance is interrupted by a crashing spaceship. When alien lawman Urp inhabits Dr. Lewis' body, there's some confusion, as Urp is attracted to a woman who's not Dr. Lewis' wife. But it's played as chaste romantic slapstick with some smooching.
  • Language:

    Aside from the occasional "hell," minimal.
  • Consumerism:

    Some mentions of brands like Coke, Rolaids, and Edsel.
  • Drinking, drugs, & smoking:

    Extensive pipe smoking (accurate to the period the movie is set in); a character is presented as a hard-liquor drunk.
 

What Parents Need to Know

About Alien Trespass

Parents need to know that this spoof was made as a loving tribute to '50s B-movie sci-fi -- and, as such, has the same squeaky-clean feel and mild peril of those films. There's some sci-fi violence, but since it's being perpetrated by a guy in a rubber suit, it's hard to be too alarmed when men, women, and children are dissolved into goo. Expect a fair amount of pipe smoking (accurate for the era) and some kissing and ogling.

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Families Can Talk About

  • Families can talk about the look, feel, and themes of '50s sci-fi. What did many of those movies have in common? How do they compare to today's sci-fi movies? Is it just the effects that have gotten more sophisticated, or have other things changed, too? Why?
  • Families can also discuss whether the '50s B movies idealized the era they were filmed in. Was everything really that squeaky clean? How do you think today's society will be portrayed in movies down the line?

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