Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #12421 in DVD
• Released on: 2005-01-10
• Rating: Parental Guidance
• Aspect ratio: 1.78:1
• Number of discs: 1
• Formats: Anamorphic, PAL, Widescreen
• Original language: English
• Subtitled in: English, Hindi
• Number of discs: 1
• Running time: 102 minutes

Amazon.co.uk Review
Based on the evidence in Evolution, one thing is perfectly clear: special effects have evolved, but director Ivan Reitman has reverted to primitive pandering. Equally obvious is the fact that Evolution is a defacto rip-off of Reitman's 1984 classic Ghostbusters, but this time there's no Bill Murray to deliver the best punch lines (we have to settle for fellow ghostbuster Dan Aykroyd in a broad supporting role) and the comedy has devolved into a gross-fest including deep-rectal extraction of alien insects, fire-hose enemas into a giant alien sphincter, and a full-moon display of David Duchovny's naked posterior. Whereas Ghostbusters was a shrewd, irreverent mainstream comedy that combined gooey spectral ectoplasm with something resembling genuine wit, Evolution is a crude, juvenile romp in which all things slimy are elevated to comedic supremacy. Granted, that's not always a bad thing. As latter-day Ghostbusters equivalents, Duchovny, Orlando Jones and Seann William Scott make a fine comedic trio, and Julianne Moore is equally amusing as a clumsy scientist and Duchovny's obligatory love interest. Despite the meddling of clueless military buffoons, they join forces to eradicate a wild variety of rapidly evolving alien creatures that arrived on Earth via meteor impact, and the extraterrestrial beasties (courtesy of effects wizard Phil Tippet and crew) are outrageously designed and marvellously convincing. For anyone who prefers lowbrow humour, Evolution will prove as entertaining as Ghostbusters (or at least Galaxy Quest), while others may lament Reitman's shameless embrace of crudeness. One thing's for certain: after seeing this film, you'll gain a whole new appreciation for Head & Shoulders shampoo. --Jeff Shannon, Amazon.com

On the DVD: Evolution's special effects and CGI are seamless and crystal clear in anamorphic widescreen with some of the "creatures" looking more realistic than the actors. This is a movie with quite a few set pieces, but none show off the Dolby 5.1 soundtrack better than the dragon attack in the mall, connect up a couple of speakers and you can hear the flap of leathery wings behind your couch. In terms of extras there's a making-of documentary from HBO called The Evolution of Evolution, hosted by Orlando Jones, in which he interviews his co-stars (most of whom seem to ignore him) and the director Ivan Reitman. You also get the behind-scenes track on the special effects and art direction. Other than that you get the theatrical trailer, the teaser trailer and the original trailer for Ghostbusters, which adds a touch classic 80s' memorabilia. --Kristen Bowditch

Video Description
DVD Special Features Making of Featurette
Production Notes
Filmographies
Trailers

Feature Run Time: 98 minutes
Subtitles: English, English (for hard of hearing), Hindi

Synopsis
Director Ivan Reitman (GHOSTBUSTERS, STRIPES, DAVE) turns from ghosts to aliens in this comedy starring David Duchovny, Orlando Jones, and Julianne Moore. When a meteor crashes into the Arizona desert, local community college professors Ira Kane (Duchovny) and Harry Block (Jones) are shocked to discover that it has introduced rapidly evolving aliens to Earth. Although the professors try to keep their discovery a secret, the U.S. military takes over the investigation, sealing off the fantastic creatures and the environment that the aliens have established. But when aliens start popping up on nearby golf courses and in the local mall, it's up to Kane and Block to save the world. With a little help from Allison Reed (Julianne Moore), a clumsy scientist with the Center for Disease Control, and Wayne Green (Seann William Scott), a dim-witted country club pool manager and fireman-wannabe, the two professors devise a plan using an unlikely weapon to kill the alien population before it wipes out the human race. Fittingly, former Ghostbuster Dan Aykroyd appears as the governor of Arizona.

Customer Reviews

"There's always time for lubricants!"
This movie is so unpretentious and charming that it will win you over. As other reviewers have pointed out, it may not be the most original movie ever, but originality is hardly the point of "Evolution", so...who really cares.

I've seen this movie a number of times and it has me laughing out loud everytime. The partnership of Duchovny, Orlando Jones and Seann William Scott hits the spot, and you can sense that the actors are really having fun making this movie.

If you enjoyed movies such as "Eight Legged Freaks", "Road Trip" and "Dodgeball" this should be just the movie for you.

Excellent Sc-fi Action Comedy
This excellent film starts slowly, but once it gets going the jokes are great,the cast fantastic(especially the brilliant Orlando Jones),and the effects superb. Ivan Reitman's new movie certainly surpasses the flops that were Six Days,Seven Nights and the Resible Fathers day. He may have borrowed more than a few things from Ghostbusters, but they work well within plot of the film,But the one thing that really carries this movie is the central pairing of David Duchovny and Orlando Jones, who deliver some great wise-cracking moments,Also the arrival of Seann William Scott only helps the comedic tone of the film.Great Fun

A clever film.
Okay, where do I start? Evolution is a brilliant movie! So, far, I think it's got to be the best film of the year, and recommend it to everyone. It has Sci-Fi, comedy and LOADS of references to X-Files, so what more could you want? The only thing that bothered me with the film was the PG certificate. If you're buying this for young children, BE WARNED. It contains a fair amount of swearing and adult humour, but the kids won't realise it, and love it anyway. I saw this 5 times on it's cinematic release, and feel that it will be a long remembered classic.