Unearthed

• USA • 2007 • 93m •

• Directed by: Matthew Leutwyler. • Starring: Luke Goss, Deborah Offner, Mark Kelly, Russell Means, Tonantzin Carmelo, Charlie Murphy, Emmanuelle Vaugier, Isait De La Fuente, M.C. Gainey, Chris Andrew Ciulla, Beau Garrett, Whitney Able, Tommy Dewey. • Music by: Joseph Bishara.

In the desert area of Hat Creek, cows are found partially devoured and the farmers believe that a wolf is attacking the cattle. The alcoholic Sheriff Annie Flynn is called by the local farmer Rob Horn to witness the remains of an animal to request reimbursement from the government and for an accident with a tank truck that is blocking the road. However, Annie sooner discovers that an ancient alien creature sent to annihilate life on Earth hundreds of years ago was released by the Indian Kale during an archaeological excavation in the desert. The Indian Caya and a group of travelers stranded in the spot without gas together with Annie and Kale try to find a means to destroy the alien and save mankind.

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Trailer #1

1:36

Trailer #2

1:26

Review:

I completely underestimated this movie; I thought that this would be another stupid zombie or plat-thing movie, where the antagonist or antagonist rises from the ground to cause mass panic and mayhem. For the most part it was true, however, there is not zombies or plants, in fact, this movie is about a Native American myth that was buried under ground after it nearly whipped out the Anasazi tribe. Much to my liking of the plot, it goes further to explain that this "thing" may not have come from this world, but another, though not directly implied. I will be boldly honest and sat that I did jump a fair amount of times though this movie and it did satisfy my need for a creature feature. The camera angles were very well done except for some parts where it was a bit too "Bourne Ultimatum," the acting was okay and the creature was a sight for sore eyes.

This movie had a very Alien look and feel to it; in fact the creature looked a lot like the Xenomorphs from the Alien films intermixed with the creatures from Feast (2006). The barn scene where the "headhugger-like" thing attached to the creature is let loose is very reminiscent of the classic boiler room scene from Aliens. I enjoyed these obvious inspirational scenes and plot more that I usually do. There were some great establishing shots including silhouettes and angular shots. The film had three natural colors including green (glow stick scenes), warm colors (daylight scenes) and blue colors (night time shots). However, when the action heightens and the creature attacks, the camera goes from steady shots to shaky hand-held shots and it's hard to see what is going on. Almost keeping you on the edge of you seat and hoping to catch a glimpse of what is going on.

The acting was pretty good and had some great emotional feeling to it, there where points were the acting was a bit over the top and points were it wasn't over the top as it should, but overall I enjoyed the performances by them. Russell Means, who plays Grandpa, had a very seldom part in this film, and I think he could have had a bigger role rather than getting a small part. He knows more about these things, aside from Kale, than anybody else does and seems like the kind of guy to go postal on those things. Emmanuelle Vaugier, who plays the town sheriff and drunk hits home along with Beau Garrett, who plays the female scientist and granddaughter. Luke Goss, who plays Kale, had a very strange part. He played the sadistic adventurer, who knows about those creatures and acts nasty and angry towards the survivor group, who in a split second becomes befriends them. I was hoping for a more gradual character development that in just a second or two. Nonetheless, Luke does a great job. M.C. Gainey, plays a rich rancher who is mad at the town sheriff for financial and moral issues.

This movie was very well done for what seems like a low budget, this movie also does a great job blinding you with flashlights and glow sticks. When the group is walking through the caves with a flashlight, they move it directly at the camera in a split second, thereby blinding you at the same time. There were some great scares that reminded me of Neil Marshall's Descent, as a matter of fact, the cave scenes were a great tribute to that exact film. The directors where heavily influenced by some of the more classic and modern horror films and they did a great job applying those aspects to this movie. Sure there are some pretty cheesy parts (The sheriff is hot young babe, the girls seem to be more brave than the guys, it's all hot girls and only the more innocent beautiful girl survives), but other that that, this movie was pretty good.

I would recommend this movie to any horror fan that loves creature features, horror-action, and Neil Marshall or Ridley Scott films. I would go as far to say that if you enjoyed Tremors or the Abyss, you would like this film. There are some great scares and I would strongly recommend this movie to any horror fan.

Review by John Crane from the Internet Movie Database.

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