Alien Sniperess (2022) Review
Like so many other films before it, Alien Sniperess begins with a meteor shower. And with someone ignoring the warnings of films such as The Blob, Night of the Creeps and Creepshow by getting way too close to one that manages to make it to Earth only to find out it’s not just a chunk of rock.
Elsewhere, Army sniper Chioma (Olivia Okoro, Leap) has just found out her boyfriend was in a car accident on his way to propose to her. He promptly dies after giving her the ring and getting her to take his younger brother Aaron (Sean Laguna, Last American Horror Show, Constitution of the Dead) to his grandparents “up North”. Her friends Kelly (Alaina Laethem, Battlefield 2025, Badland Doves) and Liz (Camille Kerber) offer to come along for support.
Writer/director Joseph Mbah (Expo, Krampus: Origins) sets things up quickly and economically, introducing us to our leads, mentioning reports of strange outbreaks of violence and getting things literally on the road within Alien Sniperess’ first ten minutes. And by fifteen, we’re watching a shootout with the alien-possessed guy from the opening scene. Not bad for a low-budget film.
Plot-wise Alien Sniperess, (is “sniperess” actually a word?), isn’t anything new. Some kind of alien parasite in the meteors is taking control of humans and causing them to develop murderous tendencies. And there’s Agent Marks (Mark Speno, The Dead of Night, Spiked) from a “Special Branch” of the FBI who is investigating these aliens along with conspiracy theorist Dr. Clark (Sean Dillingham, The Manson Brothers Midnight Zombie Massacre, Echoes of Violence).
With the possessed humans times Alien Sniperess at times resembles a zombie film, but the alien controlled bodies have intelligence, can use weapons, etc. It’s a lot cheaper than alien makeup or CGI though and leaves some money for some bullet wound effects and extras for the crowd scenes, which makes more difference than you might think. Also adding a touch of realism, as Dr. Clark. Dilligham actually looks a bit like real-life conspiracy nutter Alex Jones.
Alien Sniperess certainly has a few moments that made me question its logic, though. Such as moving a hospitalized gunshot victim without any kind of support or medical supplies, or in the midst of this invasion, Chioma’s insistance on getting Aaron to his grandparents rather than simply staying safe. And, more to the point, wouldn’t Chioma have had to leave her Army-issue sniper rifle on base? It might have added to the film’s suspense if she had to adjust to a civilian-grade precision shooting rifle.
But Mbah keeps the film moving and punctuates it with enough action that the flaws are more of an annoyance than actual dealbreakers. It also helps that the film’s tone is at times grim enough that you’re never sure just who is going to die next. It’s not exactly the edge of the seat material, but it will keep your attention.
The parasite and gunshot effects by Danny Takacs (Blood Tulips, Dragonflies Only Live for 24 Hours) are convincing enough and the CGI spaceship and muzzle flashes while not great are a step above an Asylum or Mark Polonia film. The score by Samuel Mizell (Shark Huntress) adds a nice backdrop to the proceedings, although I could have done without the songs.
Briskly paced and well-made, Alien Sniperess was an unexpected treat among a rather disappointing batch of recent releases. It’ll go well with beer and pizza on the weekend.
While listed as Alien Sniperess on Amazon and other Digital platforms, the DVD has turned up as a “Walmart Exclusive” under the title Alien Sniper. Either way, it’s from Green Apple Entertainment and you can check their website and Facebook page for more. Looking for something a little different, or maybe more of the same? FilmTagger has some suggestions.
‘Sniperess’ is NOT a real word, and the film just went down hill from there.
There was very little professionalism to be seen in either the film’s organization, or the acting of some of the bit players.
I still can’t understand why Arizona Police were operating down in Florida, or was it just a Florida Police station in Arizona? And someone really needs to tell that redhead cop that you don’t walk into an active scene with your weapon draped over the back of your off-hand, and pointed at the ground – not if you hope to walk back out.
Disappointing.
There is a Miami in Arizona, one of several in the US actually.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Miami,_Arizona
Makes it easy to remember the title though, which I suspect is the whole point. Much like how Pet Sematary did.
But it was a ridiculous media conference with a skeletal press presence for a world ending event. And in the scene where they took refuge in the town, deputy Marshall and Lucas walked out the building with the town supposedly empty. However, you could see traffic on the highway about 200m in the background.
I didn’t notice the traffic, I’ll have to go back and look.
I figured the press conference was being broadcast and it was just local press there. Who was going to travel to East Nowhere Arizona in the middle of an alien zombie apocalypse?
I just started to watch it and was immediately reminded of Cronenberg’s “Shivers”….only substituting violence for sex.