Intense for sure with a justified "R" rating.

Rating: 7/10 (23 March 2017)

I was fortunate enough to go see this movie as part of an advanced screening on Wednesday 03/22/2017. Overall this move is a solid "B". To start off, the set-up is critical. It does border on almost too long, but just as I began to realize that, the movie did ramp up. There definitely is suspense, and the plot did require a bit of disbelief in the lack of protocols I believe actual scientists would take in "growing" the life-form, who quickly by the way becomes the actual star of the movie. This is a pure monster movie though, and after a bit more time, the creature solidly shows who is boss. What really kept this story higher than a "C" rating is that the alien really does cause murder and mayhem in ways that are completely unique to other Sci-Fi or horror movies like Alien(s), SE7EN, Final Destination, etc. This movie is not for children, 14 years old minimum, and even that is a stretch. Language aside, LIFE definitely earned it's "R" rating from the sheer shock value of the deaths in the movie. Very few movies can do that. Think about how the original Poltergeist, Predator, or Jaws did this. In fact several, (about a dozen) people actually left the movie. Not because I think it was "bad", but because of the scare and squeamish factor. The movie however, lacks - something overall. Maybe it's just the cheap (possible) sequel set-up the director included. It has a Mark Wahlberg Planet of the Apes feel to it.Or, the fact that it just seems that once again humans are portrayed as completely stupid when it comes to strange, extraterrestrial organisms. Don't get me wrong, I liked it overall, and a 3-D version would be awesome. LIFE is a fun, (gory but fun) trip to take.