Surprisingly an effective scifi-horror in the tradition of Alien

Rating: 7/10 (1 January 2018)

There are so many negative reviews about Life, yet I found this sci-fi horror to be effective and a genuine tribute to Alien. The cast all performed well and relatable. Only one character who genuinely pissed me off, whereas in other space horror movies, usually the majority of them would be annoying and silly.
Although the dialogues and themes explored are not as philosophical as in Sunshine, they are much better written and acted characters compared to the jokers in Gravity.
The seven astronauts working on the Mars lifeform aboard ISS are more believable and likeable than those jokers in Gravity.
Here, the special effect of the ISS is well done, except for the part of the astronauts floating effect. You can see where they attached the actors with strings to float them. The ISS itself is well designed and there are some creative camera techniques in this movie.
Now when it comes to the horror element, I think the director and cast have done a good job in creating sheer terror. Over the span of the movie, the cute little algae-alien rapidly evolves into a ravenous space starfish. Some of the chase and hide & seek scenes are fresh and creatively written, although at times what the characters do or say have been designed to entertain and create suspense while sacrificing a more realistic approach that movies like 2001 or Interstellar have done.
There are moments throughout the movie that disgusted and scared me in a good way. In a way that transported me to a time when I watched Alien and Aliens for the first time as a young chap. Ironically, Life is more successful in creating that foreboding terror than Alien: Covenant.
Give this movie a chance and enjoy the ride.