We Brits have a long history with that often maligned film genre - Science Fiction. Don't laugh it's true. From the crew on the original Star Wars films (and director of Return of the Jedi), through to classics such as The Man Who Fell to Earth, Alien, Blade Runner, 2001, Brazil and Things to Come we've always had a strong pedigree for intelligent Sci-Fi. Lately we've had Danny Boyle knocking out a half decent effort with Sunshine, and Joe Cornish writing and directing one of last years best films - Attack the Block. Let's just leave Prometheus out of this for now shall we?
So it's always interesting for me when a new Brit Sci-Fi flick hits the multiplexes, and I almost always end up giving them a whirl. Storage 24 was written by and stars Noel Clarke, who let's not forget wrote the still excellent Kidulthood. A plane crashes in central London, causing half of London to be locked down (oh yes I know my military jargon). Meanwhile Charlie (Noel Clarke) and best mate Mark are on their way to the titular storage facility to pick up Charlie's possessions after his recent split with girlfriend Shelley (Antonia Campbell-Hughes). Upon arriving it turns out Shelley is also there along with two friends (Nikki and Chris). Sparks fly and conversations get heated but they all need to learn to get along since (drum roll, here comes the high concept bit), they are locked in the warehouse with… an alien. And said alien is a bit miffed.
It's a reworking (or direct steal depending on how nice you're being) of Alien. Except without the defined characters, twists, stunning cinematography, genuine hands over the face scares or any of the other things that make Alien the landmark film that it is. What they have managed to half inch is the idea of being trapped in a confined space with an extra terrestrial, and having a set that consists of lots of corridors. Corridors that you can get your cast to run up and down for most of the films duration in fact.
I wasn't impressed I have to say. The script is one of those scribbled on a fag packet jobs, it's full of holes and is also just so bloody unoriginal. The effects were nasty in the wrong way, the cast felt like they were waiting for the lunch bell and the direction was both uninspired and flat. All in all well worth giving a miss, go and see Dredd instead. You'll thank me in the long run I promise.
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