This month, Hollywood took a moment to remember the late Michael Madsen, renowned for his performances in classics like Reservoir Dogs, Kill Bill, and Donnie Brasco. However, one of his lesser-known roles deserves recognition: that of a black ops mercenary in the 1995 sci-fi thriller Species, which is celebrating its 30-year anniversary this year. While the film received mixed reviews upon its initial release, it has since retained its charm as a B-movie classic, offering viewers a guilty pleasure experience.
(Caution: Spoilers ahead.)
The concept behind Species came from screenwriter Dennis Feldman, who drew inspiration from an article by Arthur C. Clarke. Feldman contemplated the improbability of extraterrestrial visits to Earth, given the vast distances involved. He considered the possibility of making alien contact through information rather than physical travel, leading him to imagine a scenario where aliens could inform humanity on creating an organic device that could communicate with them.
Instead of a mechanical device, Feldman envisioned an organic one capable of adapting to Earth through DNA splicing. He sought to portray the potential threats of initiatives like the Search for Extraterrestrial Intelligence (SETI) and the Voyager missions, seeing them as invitations to predatory species targeting human beings. Thus, the idea of an alien bioweapon evolved into Species, a spec script that eventually caught the interest of MGM and director Roger Donaldson.
The film’s premise opens with the U.S. government receiving a response to its space transmissions, resulting in the formulation of new fuel source information and instructions for creating a human-alien hybrid. This leads to the creation of Sil, portrayed as a child by Michelle Williams, under the supervision of Dr. Xavier Fitch (Ben Kingsley), who believed the hybrid would exhibit “docile and controllable” characteristics.
In a mere three months, Sil matures into a 12-year-old girl but starts showing signs of violent behavior during her sleep. Dr. Fitch decides to terminate the experiment—by administering cyanide gas to her containment chamber—prompting a furious Sil to escape. A team is assembled, including Madsen’s character Preston Lennox, molecular biologist Dr. Laura Baker (Marg Helgenberger), anthropologist Dr. Stephen Arden (Alfred Molina), and empath Dan Smithson (Forest Whitaker), to track her down.
An experiment gone awry
Sil’s rapid development goes awry, propelling her on a journey through Los Angeles after she escapes detection on a train. During her travels, she enters a cocoon phase and emerges as a fully grown female (Natasha Henstridge) who is not only intelligent and resourceful but also deadly. As the team struggles to locate her before she can reproduce, bodies begin to pile up: a train passenger, a conductor, and various others. The tension escalates as she successfully mates with Dr. Arden in the labyrinthine sewers of Los Angeles, leading to a grim conclusion for both her and her offspring.
H.R. Giger’s design for the alien was strikingly innovative. He aimed to create a creature who embodied both sensuality and lethality. Although he envisioned multiple developmental stages for Sil, the filmmakers opted for a simpler presentation, emphasizing Sil’s transformation and her final maternal alien form—characterized by a translucent skin with a carbon-infused interior.
Despite Giger’s involvement, he expressed dissatisfaction with the final product, believing it bore too many similarities to the Alien franchise. Sil’s birthing scene, in particular, echoes the notorious chestburster moment from Alien. Giger managed to steer the narrative toward a climactic ending that involved a fatal headshot for Sil, which he argued was a more original outcome than the flame-thrower approach seen in other films.
Species, while not groundbreaking in its plot or character development, does exhibit moments of visual intrigue and gruesome thrills. The dialogue often falls flat, with underdeveloped characters such as the morally ambiguous Dr. Fitch and Whitaker’s empath character, who feels like an underutilized asset in a largely formulaic story. Though some thematic elements are hinted at, the film offers a predictable outcome, including a final twist that fails to elevate its overall impact.
The mating game
The film showcases strong performances from Madsen and Helgenberger, particularly their awkward but heartfelt romantic moments that contrast starkly with Sil’s brutal mating practices. As Henstridge navigates her debut role, her portrayal of Sil captivates the audience, moving from a sympathetic creation of an unethical experiment to a chilling predator driven by instinct.
Our sympathy for Sil fluctuates as she commits gruesome murders, starting with a train conductor to a rival at a nightclub. While some actions may be rationalized, the cold-blooded nature of her character evolves, transforming her into a monster viewing humans merely as “intergalactic weeds.” The audience’s eventual acceptance of her demise aligns with her complete detachment from her human origin.
Species fared relatively well at the box office, leading to a series of sequels, none of which could recapture the unique blend of elements that made the original a cult classic. Although the film is unlikely to compete with Alien, it offers an entertaining ride through a bizarre world of science fiction.
