Jefferies doesn’t expect much of his script so its just a bit hard for us to expect anything in return.
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All you really need to know going into "Organizm" is the movie was produced for the Sci Fi Channel. Concerning the fight against an unstoppable biological growth, high school biology teacher Frank Sears (Johnathon Schaech) and AWOL military germ researcher Carrie Freeborn (Erica Leerhsen) piece together a puzzle going back forty years as a small town is targeted for destruction not only by the enemy, but also the Army.
As far as cheap cable movies go, this one (also known as "Living Hell") isn´t too bad. Sure, it borrows heavily from the likes of "Tremors" and "Aliens." Some of the acting is circumspect and internal logic is all but forgotten. But it turns out to be a fun, quick ride, so I can forgive just about any story concerns. Writer/director/producer Richard Jefferies does as effective a job as he can in bringing both Sears and Freeborn to life as three dimensional people. In fact, the first half hour or so is devoted to Carrie´s relationship with her husband Glenn (Jason Wiles), as well as backstory for Frank, contrived as it might be, to make the leads something more than plot pawns. To a limited extent, it works, though with a short running time and prime scheduling spot on Sci Fi, relationship and character isn´t really a priority for anyone.
Because it runs only 92 minutes with end credits, there isn´t time for unnecessary detours or subplots. In essence, there is only an "A" plot. There is no time to create a romance between Carrie and Frank, leading Jefferies to create a scene which can be construed as a sex scene, yet is simply about protection. It is a gratuitous sequence, with Carrier becoming lubed up with blood in preparation for the final battle.
Why blood, you might ask? In short (and, yes, this is a spoiler), the only way to stop the infestation is with Frank´s blood. He has a natural immunity going back to his father, a Russian scientist who worked with his mother on the military base back in the late 1950s. Because the create was designed to be the ultimate weapon, nothing can stop it. No nuclear attack, no rifles, missiles, guns…nothing. It´s a lesson the Colonel Eric Maitland (James McDaniel) learns as his troops retreat to town, yet his higher ups-who take over later down the line-don´t seem to take any mind to it.
That´s the greatest downfall of the script, the intent of showing the military as little more than gun-toting, violence happy brutes to whom science is a four letter word. Jefferies even mentions it in the commentary track; it´s almost as if he has an ulterior motive in writing the script. Despite "Organizm" being a monster movie, this is a moment of social consciousness…or perhaps even social tweaking.
In creating the setting and mood, Jefferies paints each character broadly in generalities and stereotypes, for ease more than anything. There´s the hard headed commander (admittedly, he doesn´t enter the picture until late), the subordinate with a change of heart, the obligatory "stunning" death, the child, the female heroine and the unlikely hero. In using this shorthand we can identify without too much work, Jefferies is able to leave most of the exposition behind, creating a leaner and meaner screenplay.
When Jefferies just goes with trying to scare the bejesus out of us, he does a fairly good job, even if the proceedings bear more than a few resemblances to the "Alien" franchise. It´s no more obvious than in the finale, as Sears and Freeborn throw themselves into a dark corridor littered with slimy tentacles on every side. I guess if you´re going to pay homage (or steal, depending on the viewpoint) to another film, you might as well go with the best. Not that "Organizm" can hold a candle to the Ridley Scott or James Cameron films.
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[release]24018[/release]