Film Review: Aliens In The Attic

Posted in Film, Reviews
By Sam Bathe on 10 Aug 2009

If aliens were to ever attack earth, it would probably with a billion strong army and countless monstrous death ships, but then that probably wouldn’t make for a great family adventure film. In Aliens In The Attic, everything’s a little more Disney.

Touching down on earth during whatever everyone thinks to be a meteor shower, when the satellite TV is out the next morning, it’s not a storm, but a crash landed alien spacecraft that’s to blame. With nothing on the box, the Pearson family send son Tom (Jenkins) up to the roof to investigate but rather than a wonky receiver, he finds four knee high aliens and an urge to take over his planet. For the next 80 minutes a battle ensues between the Pearson family and the aliens, whom to conquer earth must first defeat the vacationers, only after the extra terrestrials’ high tech. weaponry allows them to take control of human adults, it’s up to the kids to step up their game.

You might expect a silly, family crash-bang adventure, and you wouldn’t be too wrong, but Aliens In The Attic is also a lot more fun than you might expect, and even with High School Musical’s Ashley Tisdale (Bethany) in tow, not nearly as aggravating.

In fact, poster girl Tisdale, the biggest young actor in the film, isn’t on screen for all that long, and instead Carter Jenkins, Austin Butler, Ashley Boettcher and the Young twins leads the charge with their reckless abandon just a little reigned in to keep their performances in check.

Though not a lot happens in terms of plot development, the screenplay is full of life and boasts fast paced action that will keep kids entertained. Carter Jenkins’ character Tom provides the only real emotional element, discovering as the film progresses that it’s OK to be yourself and not back away from your brain power.

At times still a little too reliant on slapstick humour, Robert Hoffman provides most of the comedy relief. As older boyfriend of Bethany, Hoffman’s character is soon implanted with the device that allows the aliens to control humans, all to much amusement, especially when Tom gets his hands on the control pad.

Aliens In The Attic might fall between a key audiences but will certainly provide a rip-roaring time for both tweens and younger kids, never mind the parents who are seemingly dragged along. Aliens In The Attic is likely to become a guilty pleasure in years to come, sure, not very original in its premise, but it’s harmless fun the whole family can enjoy.

★★★★★

FAN THE FIRE is a digital magazine about lifestyle and creative culture. Launching back in 2005 as a digital publication about Sony’s PSP handheld games console, we’ve grown and evolved now covering the arts and lifestyle, architecture, design and travel.