On July 7th, 1995, a little Sci-fi horror film called Species opened up in theaters to a great box office success and solid reviews from critics and fans. Natasha Henstridge had her acting debut as Sil, the sexy and dangerous alien lifeform whose sole purpose is to mate and survive. It played well against the more seasoned actors like Ben Kingsley, Forest Whitaker, and Alfred Molina. Species was a surprise genre hit with an impressive cast that ended up being MGMs biggest film opening (at the time) and came in right behind Apollo 13.
MGM wanted a sequel made with a hit on their hands but didn't want to retread with the same formula as their first and hired Chris Brancato to deliver something different. Taking inspiration from The Manchurian Candidate, Species 2 (WATCH IT HERE – OWN IT HERE) would deal with an infected astronaut from a recent Mars mission and explore an American hero's angle as an alien double agent. Natasha Henstridge liked the script and returned to play a clone of herself, Peter Medak of The Changeling fame, came in to direct, and the rest, they say, is history.
Species 2 was released to terrible reviews and only made seven million in its opening week and a depressing twenty million worldwide. It became a joke, with even star Michael Madsen saying, "Species 2 was a crock of shit." So how bad is it, you may ask? Well, though it may not have the star power of the original, Species 2 is a hammy, sleazy good time that prioritizes nudity action and effects over plot. It's a trashy B-movie that is far more entertaining than it gets credit for, and I hope this video encourages you to give it a second chance.
Species 2 has the following synopsis:
An astronaut gets infected with alien DNA during the first mission on Mars and runs amok on earth. Preston and Laura team up with a peaceful, genetically re-engineered Sil to track the monster down.
What do you think? Watch the video above and leave a comment below! THE BLACK SHEEP is written, edited, and narrated by Lance Vlcek. Produced by John Fallon and Executive Produced by Berge Garabedian.
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