Movie Review: Age of Tomorrow

Age of Tomorrow a.k.a World of Tomorrow a.k.a Alien Extinction a.k.a War of the World
The Asylum, 2014.

The 2016 Movie Watching Challenge requires watching a film that I have considered watching already for a long time. I'll just pick something from the box.

Meteor shower causes damage that gets General Magowan (Robert Picardo) worried. Dr. Gordon (Kelly Hu) tells that giant asteroid is about to hit Earth. Captain James Wheeler (Anthony Marks),  Dr. Gordon and their team must jump into spaceship and blow up the asteroid before it causes a huge hole on the surface of Earth. 

General Magowan

Captain James Wheeler and Cabrera (Laura Alexandra Ramos)

Dr. Gordon

The astronauts with minimal space training land on the asteroid and start drilling with their futuristic drills. However that's no moon, it's a space station! The astronauts are teleported to distant planet of hostile aliens. Flying robot spheres attack Earth. On Earth Fireman Chris (Lane Townsend) and Major Blake (Nick Stellate) are trying to save Chris' daughter Lindsay (Taylor Coliee). Meanwhile the aliens apparently kill all humans and abduct some for obscure torture purposes. 

Fireman Chris and Sully (Morgan West)

Lindsay

Major Blake

The name makes it mockbuster of "Edge of Tomorrow" but the story makes it "Armageddon" meets "Prometheus" meets "Predators" meets whatever alien invasion movie. The DVD back cover declares: 

The exploitation of space from the Earth's population has consumed very hard that led to disastrous consequences. This has angered the aliens away from an extraterrestrial civilization which is now determined to give back once and for all. Humanity is now facing a moment of truth and preparing for what may be the last battle on planet earth. 

Only the final sentence is true. Did someone who wrote the blurb actually watch the movie at all? And what's with the exploding pyramid on the DVD cover, it was nowhere to be seen?

Alien planet

Alien

The space effects and sceneries look nice and some special effects could be from scifi TV-series. The effects of Asylum are getting better thanks to Joseph Lawson. Still the cheap sets reveal the limited budget. Also the threat of alien attack is difficult to grasp as the aliens seem to attack only one city block. The common problems of the Asylym films are present. Generic and expendable characters do not make the story interesting. Again the streets look very vacant and there are only handful of heroes to save the world. Also there is a lot of driving around and aimless wandering. The subplot of the astronauts felt more interesting than the fireman plot. On the other hand the fireman plot offered more (unintentional?) comedy. The aliens are invulnerable to other weapons than fire axe. This is not the Asylym's worst, it is not so bad it would be good but it is not good either. With better script and more focused approach it could have been fun invasion flick. The sequel-bait ending makes you want to kick someone.

Yay!

Your superior intellect is no match for our puny weapons!

Part of The 2016 Movie Watching Challenge (#15. Movie you have considered watching already for a long time) 

Rating: Bad 

Starring: Kelly Hu, Anthony Marks, Robert Picardo, Lane Townsend, Morgan West, Mitchell Shawn (as Mitchell Carpenter), Nick Stellate, Nicholas Alexander, Sarah Karijan, Joseph Price, Matt Mercer, Laura Alexandra Ramos, Jennifer Marshall, Taylor Coliee, Patrick Lazzara, Shamar Sanders, Lauren Arps, Cynthia Dallas, Michael Hampton, Michael Lanford, Kye Kinder, Sarah Karjian, Matthew Langford 

Director: James Kondelik