Deadly Spawn [Blu-ray] [2011] [US Import]

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Notable genre actors Seth Green and Ami Dolenz also star, and look for Alfonso Ribeiro playing against type during peak popularity of The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air . There are horror movies about aliens, every now and then, but in recent years they have all played out like History Channel specials—only somehow less effective. Yet these people almost always mention how much the feature terrified them the first time they saw it. In the finished film, which somehow ended up being distributed by A24, Justin Long plays jaded podcaster Wallace Bryton as he embarks on a trip to Canada and gets kidnapped by the mysterious seaman Howard Howe (Michael Parks).

While lacking coin to explore monster attacks in detail, the production serves up a healthy portion of screen violence, with convincing puppetry assisting in the fantasy. I feel like there just shouldn’t be a “but…” after “I know he’s gone through some serious health issues.Bohus and editor Marc Harwood (the other commentaries from the Synapse DVD have been left out here), and an hour’s worth of vintage TV materials related to the feature that have been culled from VHS.

Keeping in mind that "The Deadly Spawn" is about a vicious alien invasion, the movie seems almost fearful to explore the extraterrestrial aggression in full. It was everything the first one wasn’t: empty headed, driven by special effects and trying to be so much more than it was.Time and a vocal fanbase have elevated the endeavor to cult status, celebrating its schlocky appeal and ferocious monsters, but there's really nothing to "The Deadly Spawn" beyond some ingenious special effects and a few formidable visits to the gore zone. Featuring classic creature designs and gory special effects by John Dods (THE X-FILES: FIGHT THE FUTURE, SPOOKIES, MONSTERS – TV Series), THE DEADLY SPAWN has been totally re-mastered from the original 16mm camera negatives. While Justin Long is always a joy to watch in horrific situations and Johnny Depp’s near-offensive portrayal of a bumbling French-Canadian is impossible to look away from (though I can only imagine what Tarantino would have done with the role), I think it’s pretty well established that Michael Parks is the real stand-out of this talented ensemble.