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The cover of Ombis: Alien Invasion might lead you to believe it’s yet another low budget rip off of Independence Day or Battle Los Angeles. Something that, hopefully, would be at least as competent as Fighting the Sky or, if you are fortunate, Occupation. Still, you are definitely expecting some sorta space battles and fight scenes. And that of course has probably resulted in more than a few viewers throwing shade. Because, while director Adam R. Steigert (Fang, STAR [Space Travelling Alien Reject]) has invented a wacky microbudget mashing of The Blob, 28 Days Later, The Crazies, and a Spaghetti Western, there isn’t much to look forward to such as invasions or aliens.Â
Richard Satterwhite, Battle dogs, Widow’s Point plays Sheriff Thomas Bracket and his day is not off to a good start. Taking a little girl home leads him into a confrontation with Blake (Daniel George) the abusive husband of the sheriff’s ex Sarah (Brenda Rickert, Attack of the Killer Shrews!). Then his breakfast is interrupted by Glen (Bob Bozek, Crossbreed). These days are definitely going to get a lot worse for both men.
Mark and Lucy bring Glen to the doctor after Mark finds him contaminated with alien germs from a meteor that landed outside of town. Unfortunately, they need a scientist rather than a local general practitioner.
Ombis: Alien Invasion can be reasonably criticized for having a slow introduction while the residents of Metz burgh and a sizable cast of characters are presented. We are grateful that the introduction went smoothly because we genuinely grew fond of the townsfolk. This, among other reasons, made some decisions and actions taken later in the movie more believable.Â
The pace of the film picks up after the alien ooze begins to spread throughout the town in the middle of Glen’s story. He eventually becomes one of the many mutated people that resemble fast zombies. While this isn’t enough, the government containment team that wears black suits and sunglasses, along with The Nemesis, who is clad with a cowboy hat and duster, storm the town.
Steinert maximizes as much production value as he can spend on the film’s budget. The same type of decaying city as the fictional Metz burg, it was filmed in Hamburg, a suburb in Buffalo, NY. They have empty grain silos and factories which adds to the authenticity of the film. He has filled it with decent quality local actors and for the crowd scenes, real people. Lynn Lowry, a veteran screamer, mysteriously appears (Sky Sharks, Shivers) as a TV news presenter.
While the gore is extensive, it is not always on par with the best. Depending on which scene, the Nemesis looks like a guy in a costume and alien goo looks like lime Jelly or the slime toy store slime. The infected townspeople’s practical effects vary from decent to fair attempts at green latex. CGI similarly varies in quality but frequently tends to look off. The alien craft that appears in the last moments of the film certainly looks convincing, just like the post-credits scene.
If you’ve sought out the works of Don Dahler (Nightbeast, Alien Factor) or Bill Rebate (Rana: The Legend of Shadow Lake, The Capture of Bigfoot) then this should not be a complete surprise. Ombis: Alien Invasion may not be the most polished film, but it is clear that there was love and soft spot for the craft. If low budget productions do not bother you, then this is an enjoyable break.Â
Ombis: Alien Invasion is currently available free on Tubi. The director has also uploaded it on his YouTube channel. You can check its Facebook page for more information.
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