Alien Avengers

Since I just finished the massively melancholic and overly mysterious "Nope" by director Jordan Peele, I felt in urgent need of some light-hearted and undemanding Sci-Fi/cult entertainment. What's better than a sleazy & silly Roger Corman production from the 1990s, like "Welcome to Planet Earth", in that case? But it turns out those two movies are very similar, as they both deal with playful but sardonic extraterrestrials using camouflage to remain under the radar and destroy humanity!

Kidding, of course, as "Welcome to Planet Earth" is nothing but a harmless and insignificant comedy with a couple of tongue-in-cheek Sci-Fi elements. George Wendt and Shanna Reed delightfully overact as the picture-perfect middle-class couple who are on vacation in the nastiest and sleaziest parts of Los Angeles and stay at a rundown boarding house recently inherited by ex-con and petty thief Joseph. Their stunningly beautiful daughter Daphne is less enthusiast about the holiday, but this changes as soon as she develops feelings for Joseph. In reality, though, the joyful family are aliens in disguise, from a planet that uses Earth as a holiday destination where interstellar tourists can violently murder criminal scum as much as they please.

The basic idea is fun & original, and the film is overall worthwhile thanks to the spirited performances from the aforementioned couple, a few creative kills, and - ah yes - a totally random and gratuitous nude sequence by the gorgeous actress who depicts Daphne. Phew, that is what I call a classic rewind-moment! The fun rapidly wears out, though, and especially the last 15-20 minutes are tedious. Also, I know Roger Corman didn't spent much money on his B-movies, but the aliens' spaceship here looks ridiculously cheap and childish.