Cate Blanchett was sent to erase humanity. Alpha Gang left Telluride on 83%, with Chris Pine and Dave Bautista as her crew
Dave Bautista and Chris Pine’s sci‑fi comedy Alpha Gang is off to a flyer on Rotten Tomatoes, outperforming what fans had braced for.
Right, if you were hoping for a bit of weirdness with your A-listers this autumn, Alpha Gang has finally rocked up after making a splash on the festival circuit. This is that new sci-fi comedy where Cate Blanchett, Chris Pine, and Dave Bautista all play aliens (yes, really) sent to take out the human race—until feelings get in the way. The film's only just premiered, but already the reviews are trickling out, and, honestly, they're not what I was expecting.
Alpha Gang currently sits at an 83% score on Rotten Tomatoes after its world premiere.
If you've paid any attention to speculative whispers online, you'll know the early word from critics coming out of Telluride and Toronto has been mostly positive, enough to bump up initial fan hopes. That 83% Tomatometer on Rotten Tomatoes is holding strong, though the 'Popcornmeter' (whatever that is) score from audiences hasn't dropped just yet. So, for now, it's critics leading the charge, and they seem as entertained by the film's oddball energy as the cast probably were making it.
Outrageous, Stylish—and Divisive
So what are people actually saying? The reviews are lively, to put it mildly. Damon Wise at Deadline describes the film as 'outrageous and frequently pant-wettingly funny', especially if you're into aliens-blending-in-on-Earth hijinks. Variety's Tomris Laffly points out the flick channels a sort of '50s biker gang vibe, with plenty of visual flair and a knowingly oddball indie sensibility. She reckons every actor 'commits to the bit', which is about what you'd hope given the talent assembled.
Over at RogerEbert.com, Robert Daniels is convinced Bautista has once again proved himself a proper deadpan comedian, and he throws some praise toward Kelvin Harrison Jr., who's apparently up to something involving romance and a hawk named Periwinkle. Says it all, really.
Not everyone's in on the joke, though. According to Black Girl Nerds, the film is 'dull, narratively messy, and weighed down by an uneven plot and distracting sound design.' So, standard Zellner Brothers then—if you're not on their wavelength, good luck.
That Cast List Is Ridiculous
Speaking of the Zellners, they direct Alpha Gang in their usual fiercely indie style. The concept: aliens sent to erase humanity, only to be undone by inconvenient emotions. Cate Blanchett leads as Alpha One, the fearless (or maybe just confused) head of this extraterrestrial biker mob. Alongside her, you've got Chris Pine, Dave Bautista, Léa Seydoux, Lily-Rose Depp, Adria Arjona, Bae Doona, Kelvin Harrison Jr., and Riley Keough. That's an ensemble-heavy enough to fill three films, frankly.
- Cate Blanchett – Alpha One, leader of the aliens
- Chris Pine
- Dave Bautista
- Léa Seydoux
- Lily-Rose Depp
- Adria Arjona
- Bae Doona
- Kelvin Harrison Jr.
- Riley Keough
The cast are hardly quiet away from Alpha Gang, either. Bautista is about to step into Kratos's boots for Amazon's God of War TV adaptation, and the internet's already convinced Adria Arjona is James Gunn's new Wonder Woman. As if she needs the pressure.
Alpha Gang had its world premiere at the 53rd Telluride Film Festival on 5 September, landing at Toronto International Film Festival a week later on 13 September. If you're after a UK cinema date, though, nothing's been locked in for the theatrical release yet—business as usual for festival darlings, really.