Before diving into this review I think there is something I should make perfectly clear – this wasn’t the movie I thought I was sitting down to watch. I thought I was going to be watching Xtro, which is what I thought Vinegar Syndrome was releasing. And I was very excited about it. Xtro is one of those blindspots that I know people love but I just haven’t gotten around to seeing.
As you may have guessed from the title of this review, I did not watch Xtro but rather Xtro 3: Watch the Skies. The fact that I ended up watching a different movie than I anticipated has no bearing on my review – I noticed during the opening credits so it’s not like I was confused the whole time. It was just an amusing moment that I felt like sharing.
Onto the review…
Xtro 3 opens in a shantytown motel with a meeting between Lieutenant Martin Kirn (Sal Landi) and a journalist. Kirn has seen better days, no longer resembling a decorated lieutenant, and he’s called this secret meeting to get his story out to the public. His story is that of his final military assignment – lead a team of marines into a remote desert island and recover anything the US may have left there after the end of WWII.
In your standard action flick, this would be the part where Kirn pieces together his ragtag group ready to take on this mission. You know, a bunch of loose cannons that can’t be trusted, but ultimately they get the job done. For Kirn, however, that’s not quite what happens. He’s stuck with a bunch of misfits, sure, but it’s not because they’re the out-of-control type. They’re legit bad. Not military material. And when Kirn objects, he’s told this is all he gets and he must make it work.
Kirn, under the guidance of the man calling the shots, Captain Fetterman (Andrew Divoff), leads the team onto the island. From the moment they first set foot on this long deserted land, it becomes clear that something is up. Fetterman is hiding something and Kirn learns why this team was pre-chosen – they’re all expendable.
The team believes they’re just looking for any left behind supplies, mostly weapons. But as the team searches the island they come to the realization that this wasn’t merely used as a military base. It was a prison, a testing facility, home to unspeakable secrets, and Fetterman has all the inside knowledge.
Their discoveries include a lone man that has somehow been living on the island for years, all alone. How and why he got there is unknown. But Fetterman wants him dead. Under normal circumstances, this would be the main find. These are not normal circumstances.
Further searching uncovers old films documenting military experiments on an alien. The conduct is inhumane to say the least, and the footage shows that while one alien is subject to the brutal experiments, another is forced to watch. And that’s when they realize the other alien is still on the island and he wants revenge.
Xtro 3: Watch the Skies is a low-budget, ’90s B-movie in the truest sense. It’s cheap, silly, and doesn’t make a whole lot of sense. And yet, it’s undeniably charming. There are practical effects and puppetry. Again, cheap, but charming. The alien is a bit clunky and goofy, but it works.
There’s also a weird film-noir vibe going on. Not in the visual style at all, but with the voiceover narration and the way Landi handles it. No one specific comes to mind, but it feels like he was influenced by some black-and-white ’50s detective.
And in midst of all the goofiness is some commentary on how the US government and military operate. Is it intentional? I’m not sure. But there’s plenty here about how the US is willing to sacrifice the lives of innocent civilians and decorated members of the military in order to cover up their own horrible crimes. That’s a sentiment that will forever be relevant.
Some fun casting bits include Jim Hanks as Private Friedman there to provide the comic relief and a young Martin Starr in a brief role.
Special Features:
• “Winning and Losing” – an interview with director Harry Bromley Davenport
This is an extremely fun interview with Davenport. He’s fully aware of the film’s flaws and a bit surprised people are still talking about it, but he’s not at all ashamed of it. His attitude basically says, “Hey, it’s not a great movie, but it’s a thing I did and it was fun.” He shares some good stories about working with writer Daryl Haney, and also talks about his career in general and what it was like to shoot a film in the US for the first time. Listening to Davenport made me appreciate the movie more.
• “Acting like a Writer” – an interview with writer/actor Daryl Haney
Haney has had an interesting career. He wrote and starred in Joe Minion’s Daddy’s Boys and then sort of stumbled into getting the screenwriting gig for Friday the 13th Part VII: The New Blood, and since that it’s been an exciting, odd journey. Haney runs through his career, the acting and the writing, dipping into little stories here and there before talking about his relationship with Davenport. At one point he mentions how he hates Steven Spielberg. It’s a fun interview.
• Newly scanned & restored in 2k from its 35mm camera negative
This is a Vinegar Syndrome release, of course it looks incredible! These dudes don’t mess around. This is another film that easily could have been lost to fade into obscurity, but VS swooped in, restored the 35mm camera negative, and delivered a stunning product.
Other special features and specs…
• Original trailer
• Reversible cover artwork
• English SDH subtitles
• Region Free Blu-ray/DVD combo
You’ll know right off the bat if Xtro 3: Watch the Skies is for you. And if you’re someone that regularly purchases Vinegar Syndrome releases, then I can safely say that this is probably for you. It’s certainly something for me. It’s the type of movie you’d rent from your local video store on VHS or stumble upon late night on cable and be happy that you did. Call a few friends over (when it’s safe to do so!), order a pizza, and have a good time. I sure did.
Xtro 3: Watch the Skies is now available on Blu-ray from Vinegar Syndrome.
