Movie Review - IT'S ALIVE

Many, many moons ago, I remember watching the original IT'S ALIVE. It was scary as hell, but the ending with the father capped it for me.

Larry Cohen, the originator of the first movie, is also involved with this remake (and I use the term loosely, because other than the title and plot, there's very little of the original left in the script.)


The original movie's subtitle is "Something is wrong with the Davis baby. (which leads to the title "It's Alive", giving the audience reason to pause and wonder if the baby being alive is wrong, or...? This one's subtitle is "A baby's thoughts aren't always innocent." I don't know about you, but I always think of innocence in movies as being related to sexual innuendos. Or with being not guilty of a crime. Of course, I could be wrong. But I for one didn't think of this baby's actions being premeditated. To me, everything it did, it did to survive. For me, abject hunger is an overwhelming driving need, and that's what led the baby to do what it did. There was nothing related to "innocence".

The first movie was based in a Big City (aka New York or Los Angeles). The remake is based in New Mexico, out in the Middle of Nowhere, where the baby can wreak as much havoc as needed without pesky neighbors and the police interfering. The scenery is phenomenal, but I think the change is wrong. There's also a handicapped boy, whose role in this movie I have yet to figure out. Ditto for the scenes regarding the boy's new girlfriend.

If you go back and watch the original, the effects will seem cheesy to you, but were state-of-the-art for their time. In the remake, the baby is CGI, and the attacks are first rate. But in the long run, the remake is not worth the film exposed to make it.

My recommendation? I say rent BOTH films, and do a side-by-side comparison. If for no other reason, it's a fairly pleasant way to spend a rainy/cold/snowy afternoon or evening.