Can Captive State Hold Your Attention?

One spark can ignite a war.
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Ten years after aliens have taken over the world, an underground group of insurgents set out to bring them down and liberate Chicago, showing the world that they can also take back their cities.

​As a special policeman in charge of Chicago, William Mulligan (John Goodman) must stop the undercover group, Phoenix from attacking the extra-terrestrials who have taken over Chicago. Using the son of his former partner, William uncovers a larger plan to send a message to the rest of the world. 

​The Earth is rich in resources which the aliens are using up. They put the humans to work to dig out the new alien homes underground. Using clicks and squeaks only translators are able to understand these new creatures. The aliens are interesting in that they appear as long-legged insects at times. When they attack, their outer shell becomes sharp points like a porcupine. They can be killed when you remove their facemask because they can’t breathe. (Can you tell that the aliens were the best part?) With their advanced technology, the humans are implanted with bugs which allow them to be tracked and everyone is monitored. So much for a brave new world!

​This thriller keeps you guessing until the end but doesn’t have a great deal of action sequences like other movies like Transformers. The slow pacing leads to a long buildup but may have viewers asleep before the big reveal at the end. Trying to feel like a Cloverfield movie, Captive State just never hits the right notes. 

​Stay home rather than go to the movies for this one. The weirdness of the movie will have you scratching your head as you leave the theater, wondering what you just watched.