DECEMBER 15, 2020 - Out this Friday, Star Trek: Deep Space Nine actor Alexander Siddig leads the cast of the new film Skylines on a galactic crusade to save humanity. The film, the third in the Skyline franchise after 2010’s Skyline and 2017’s Beyond Skyline, sees an elite team of soldiers from Earth travel across space to an alien homeworld in search of a way to cure a deadly virus. Overall, Skylines is an intensely enjoyable movie, satisfying to watch, with strong hints of feminism and Star Trek ideology. It’s rated R for violence and language, and it’s moderately gory, but the action here is really around the plot.

The Story

15 years after an alien invasion of Earth, humans have found a way to alter the biology of the so-called “Pilots” so they can co-exist peacefully. But when a mysterious virus threatens to turn the Pilots back to their violent ways, military commander General Radford (played by Alexander Siddig) assembles a team to travel to the Pilots’ homeworld and attempt to steal a device that could help cure them. A key part of the team? Captain Rose Corley (Lindsey Morgan), a human-alien hybrid who was once a leader against the Pilots, who went into hiding after a mistake in battle that cost the lives of her comrades. Radford finds her and co-opts her for the mission and they and the team set off for Cobalt 1.

The plot of Skylines will feel familiar but fresh to sci-fi fans. It’s similar in many ways to parts of Ender’s Game, Independence Day, and even The Matrix. The plot is mature and well thought out, but not convoluted. You should watch the previous two films first (because they’re good), but you won’t have had to watch them in order to enjoy Skylines.

Production Value

In terms of production value, both the production and performances here make it worth your time to watch. The creature design, special effects, and acting are all balanced in a way that makes Skylines look like it was produced with a much higher budget than it was. While the film undoubtedly benefited from having some of the production design already done from the previous two films, that balance still couldn’t have been achieved without a great cast and director. The action here is really focused on the characters, and it’s supported and enhanced by VFX and stunts.

Speaking of the characters, Lindsey Morgan in her role as Rose Corley really shines. She deftly skirts the edges of a traditional “strong female lead” and brings complexity to her character. Rose exists both as a confident, strong leader and as a vulnerable, compassionate teammate, making her relatable in a way that women don’t often enjoy in sci-fi and action films.

Alexander Siddig likewise plays his role as General Radford with an ease that, while in a leadership position, allows his character to somewhat fade into support. That’s important because General Radford, of course, ends up being a pivotal character, with one particularly memorable scene, but his significance isn’t revealed until later in the film. 

Themes

When it comes to theme, Skylines will definitely surprise you: it’s more than a little bit Star Trek. We’ll come on to the aliens in just a moment, but first let’s discuss the women.

It’s not subtle that the action in Skylines is led by women. In addition to the main plot on Cobalt 1, there’s also a subplot where two women defend a camp on the outskirts of London almost single-handedly (shoutout to Rhona Mitra and Naomi Tankel). Even the main antagonist is known as “The Matriarch”. In fact, it’s generally the men displaying the worst forms of toxic masculinity who end up getting whooped the worst (spoiler alert). Skylines is arguably a feminist film.

And what about those aliens? The Pilots (and later, The Matriarch) are deadly creatures, they can easily kill humans, and yet we treat them with compassion. From start to finish, our heroes seek peace, and even in the midst of epic fight scenes with the gruesome creatures, director Liam O’Donnell gives us moments of curiosity and sympathy.

Just Go See It

If you’re a fan of Star Trek, the likelihood is that you’ll enjoy Skylines (and its two precursors). You should watch it as soon as possible.

Skylines is available on demand in English-speaking territories from December 18th, from Vertical Entertainment.