Skylines (Skylin3s)

Skylines (Skylin3s) is the third and final installment of the Skyline film saga that began in 2010, the first part of which was directed by Greg and Colin Strause. Writer Liam O'Donnell directed the second part and this one allows this film saga to have a real continuity and to allow the spectators who enjoyed the first two parts to rediscover the intact charm of the two previous films and especially the spectacular special effects.

The film thus begins immediately after the events of the second film, where Captain Rose Corley leads the fleet defending the Earth against invaders close to the moon, who plan to destroy the Earth using the Armada, a super-weapon capable of eradicating all life on a planet. Rose's ship destroys two mother ships, but the Armada fires two of the human fleet's ships. Rose's ship destroys the Armada, but at the cost of the human fleet. Five years after the events, Rose, now living as a foreigner, travels to London where several wrecks of special ships are scattered. She visits Dr. Mal, a doctor who is trying to find a cure for an insect that turns the alien drones implanted in the human brain, called Pilots, into their hostile former selves. When this virus threatens to turn friendly alien hybrids against humans, Captain Rose Corley and her elite team of soldiers embark on a mission to an alien world to save what's left of humanity.

While the first part was only worthy of its rather spectacular special effects and the second part was much more accomplished and successful thanks to the presence of actors Frank Grillo and Iko Uwais, this third part does not disappoint. It imposes itself by even more spectacular special effects. The director and screenwriter Liam O'Donnell delivers here a good science-fiction film taking place mostly on a hostile planet in which Captain Rose Corley will learn to master her powers and face her worst enemy. The fate of the whole earth rests on her shoulders.

Skylines (Skylin3s) thus makes us forget the completely failed sequel Independence Day (Independence Day: Resurgence) and shows us that a good science-fiction movie is based first of all on a gripping scenario and not on special effects that are certainly spectacular but without any real relief. In this sense, this third part also manages to surprise us with its humor throughout the story and especially with the presence of the lovely Lindsay Morgan in the main female role of the film. She brings to the film all her charm and fragility and proves to be equally at ease in the numerous action scenes of this film which would have deserved a theatrical release and not a direct video release as is the case in the United States on December 18th.

Skylines
Written and directed by Liam O'Donnell
Produced by Liam O'Donnell, Greg Strause, Colin Strause, Matthew E. Chausse
Story by Matthew E. Shoe, Liam O'Donnell
Based on Characters by Joshua Cordes and Liam O'Donnell
Starring Lindsey Morgan, Jonathan Howard, Daniel Bernhardt, Rhona Mitra, James Cosmo, Alexander Siddig
Music by Ram Khatabakhsh
Cinematography : Alain Duplantier
Edited by Barrett Heathcote
Production companies: M45 Productions, Hydraulx, Gifflar Films Limited, Lipsync Productions, Artbox Fasten Films
Distributed by Vertical Entertainment
Release date: October 25, 2020 (FrightFest), December 18, 2020 (United States)
Running time: 110 minutes

Viewed on December 18, 2020

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