Life Review: 6 Ups & 3 Downs

Ups

6. The Death Scenes Are Intensely Disturbing

While Alien largely shied away from graphic gore, Life sure as Hell doesn't. The first major death scene in particular is extremely discomforting, lingering on Calvin's unique ability to dismantle the human body from the inside out, combined with the eerie reduced gravity on-board the ship, which makes all the splattered blood float freely in the air. Gross.

That's just the beginning, though: Calvin's survival-driven desire to feed off the crew ensures the creature has no need to offer them a quick death if they choose to put up a fight. One scene involving a spacesuit is also sure to leave many viewers riddled with anxiety, and on the whole, the film does a great job confining its characters to a variety of grim and deeply unpleasant fates.

While Alien derived tension from off-screen death, Life basically goes the opposite way, and it's no less valid or effective.