Solid entry to the space monster genre

Rating: 7/10 (26 March 2017)

'Life' was good, a respectable 3.5 out of 5, and it would have been a 4 but for the cop out ending, which I think reflected a lack of confidence on the part of its team in the quality of their output.
The writers and director did not disguise their debt to 'Alien' and to a lesser extent '2001', and their overt referencing of those films was sensible - after all, with a plot like this one nobody can ignore such masterpieces. 'Life' stands up well to comparisons, being a well scripted and capably directed effort. I liked the way the members of the crew were fleshed out with backstory and some character development. There was a cost in terms of slackening tension but it was worth paying because you cared more about their fates. The creature was very well managed as was the spaceship interior. Action scenes were lively and full of impact.
Yes, there were plenty of implausibilities, but I can live with those if the result is worth it. And in 'Life' it was.