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Parents' Guide to

Alien Trespass

By James Rocchi, Common Sense Media Reviewer

age 10+

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

Movie PG 2009 90 minutes
Alien Trespass Poster Image

A Lot or a Little?

What you will—and won't—find in this movie.

Community Reviews

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age 10+

Based on 4 parent reviews

RustyX15
RustyX15 Adult
April 12, 2021
age 12+

Nostalgia +++

If you liked Eric McCormack in Travelers and Stewart Patrick in Star Gate Atlantis will probably like this movie.
Red Lake Currant
Red Lake Currant Adult
May 7, 2020
age 8+

I Wish it Were a Series

I was so pleasantly surprised by this movie. No, it's not a blockbuster, people are too jaded for that. What it is though, is a campy, fun, loving trip through nostalgic monster movies of the 50's. It was clean. It was fun. I smiled all the way through it and laughed at the monster costume. I actually thought it was the first episode of a series and I was really excited that I'd found something new to watch. So when I realized it was a movie, I was disappointed. If you can't just be silly and enjoy simplicity, you are probably too solphisticated for this movie. But if you can do both, I think this is a winner. I will probably watch it again and look for all the treasures they likely added into the movie that I didn't notice the first time.
See all 4 parent reviews

What's the Story?

After an opening sequence explains that audiences are about to see a "lost" '50s sci-fi movie, ALIEN TRESPASS begins in the desert town of Mesa, where astronomer Ted Lewis (Eric McCormack) is watching a meteor shower. When one strikes, Dr. Lewis rushes out to see -- but instead of a meteor, he finds a space craft. Turns out the crash freed a hungry hideous creature called the Ghota, so the ship's captain, Urp, seizes control of Ted's body to stop the hungry horror before all of Earth is destroyed. Meanwhile, Mesa's cops and citizens can't believe Dr. Lewis' crazy-talk -- but will they before it's too late?

Is It Any Good?

Our review:
Parents say: (4 ):
Kids say: Not yet rated

While Monsters vs. Aliens simply borrows a few '50s sci-fi ideas, the much lower-budget Alien Trespass dives in whole hog -- from the score to the creature to the wooden acting. It raises the question of why you'd try so hard to pay tribute to a fairly shoddy type of filmmaking.

Certainly, the affection of everyone involved is obvious on screen; McCormack brings zip and vim to his dual role, while the other cast members seem to know exactly what kind of movie they're in. But Alien Trespass plays like a curious mix of nostalgia and parody, without any real reason to watch it or care. If you were to stumble across this shabby, slapdash spoof on TV on a rainy afternoon, you might be diverted, but seeing it in a theater is a far less exciting prospect.

Talk to Your Kids 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?

Movie Details

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Research shows a connection between kids' healthy self-esteem and positive portrayals in media. That's why we've added a new "Diverse Representations" section to our reviews that will be rolling out on an ongoing basis. You can help us help kids by suggesting a diversity update.

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