Area 51 (film)

Area 51 is a 2015 American found footage science fiction horror film directed and shot by Oren Peli and co-written by Peli and Christopher Denham. The film stars Reid Warner, Darrin Bragg, Ben Rovner, and Jelena Nik.[3] The film was released in a limited release and through video on demand on May 15, 2015, by Paramount Insurge.

Area 51
Theatrical release poster
Directed byOren Peli
Produced byJason Blum
Written by
Starring
  • Reid Warner
  • Darrin Bragg
  • Ben Rovner
  • Jelena Nik
CinematographyOren Peli
Edited by
  • Blake Maniquis
  • Jake York
Production
company
Distributed byParamount Pictures
Release date
May 15, 2015
Running time
95 minutes
CountryUnited States
LanguageEnglish
Budget$5 million[1]
Box office$7,556[2]

Plot

Reid, Darrin, and Ben are three close friends who attend a party together one evening. During the party, Reid inexplicably vanishes. Unable to find him, Darrin and Ben leave. While driving home on a dark, secluded road, they suddenly find Reid standing in the middle of the road, leading to them nearly running him over. Once in the car, Reid seems detached and in a daze, though nothing is made of his odd behavior.

The incident causes Reid to become obsessed with aliens and, in particular, Area 51. He spends the next three months devising a plan to infiltrate Area 51 and uncover the base's secrets. However, Reid's obsession with extraterrestrial research leaves him detached from his family and even causes him to lose his job. He is joined by Darrin, Ben, and Jelena, another conspiracy theorist whose father worked at Area 51. They plan on infiltrating the military base by using signal jammers, night vision goggles, Freon-laced jumpsuits, and pills to mask their ammonia levels.[4]

Per the advice of Jelena's father, the group stalks a man they suspect is an important figure at Area 51. Reid and Darrin sneak into the man's house and steal his security badge. Ben drops the three off in the middle of the desert and waits for them to return. Reid, Darrin and Jelena successfully bypass the base's perimeter defenses and enter the complex using the security badge they had previously acquired. The three venture deeper into the base where they discover a lab containing a lifelike liquid substance and anti-gravity material. They also encounter an alien spacecraft in a hangar, which only Reid can enter and interact with. The three then reach the ‘S4’-level of Area 51, which contains the complex's most secret information and experiments. They trigger an alarm and are swarmed by guards. Darrin is separated from the two and attempts to elude the guards and a predatory alien. He narrowly escapes the alien and retreats to the base's higher levels.[4]

Reid and Jelena venture deeper into the complex and discover a cave-like structure under Area 51. They find various articles of clothing, toys, and later pods of human blood and organs. The two then stumble upon a colony of sleeping aliens. One alien awakens and chases them out of the cave and into a different section of the complex. Reid and Jelena find themselves in a white chamber. While Reid examines a series of alien symbols, Jelena is suddenly dragged away by an unseen force. He finds her in an entranced and unresponsive state. The chamber suddenly loses gravity and reveals they are inside a silver alien spacecraft. Reid's camera falls from the spacecraft and plummets to the ground.

Darrin successfully escapes the complex and discovers all personnel are being evacuated from Area 51. He ventures back into the desert where he encounters Ben, who has been waiting for the three to return. Darrin frantically explains that their group was separated and urges Ben to drive away. However, their car's engine promptly dies and the camcorder captures both men being abducted from the car.

In a post-credits scene, an old man, who was previously interviewed by the group, finds Reid's still-recording camcorder.

Cast
  • Reid Warner as Reid
  • Darrin Bragg as Darrin
  • Jelena Nik as Jelena
  • Ben Rovner as Ben
  • Sandra Staggs as Mother
  • Roy Abramsohn as Father
  • Frank Novak as Himself
  • David Saucedo as Town Local
  • Glenn Campbell as Himself
  • Jamel King as Jamel Bragg
  • Nikka Far as Nikki
  • Norio Hayakawa as Himself

Production

Production for the film began in the fall of 2009.[5] In April 2011, CBS Films hired director and actor Chris Denham to do some rewrites on Area 51.[6] Peli filmed re-shoots in 2013. In August 2013, Jason Blum stated that the film had finished production and that Peli was "tinkering" with the film in post production.[7] On March 14, 2015, Blum confirmed that the film was officially done and would perhaps be released on VOD.[8] On April 23, 2015 it was announced the film would open exclusively in Alamo Drafthouse theaters and through video on demand platforms on May 15, 2015.[9]

Release

Box office and sales

The film was released in Alamo Drafthouse theaters exclusively for a weekend-long-run, and on video on demand platforms beginning on May 15, 2015, courtesy of Paramount Insurge and Blumhouse Tilt.[10] The film made a total of $7,556 for its weekend long-run.[2]

Reception

Area 51 received generally negative reviews from critics. On Rotten Tomatoes it has an approval rating of 14% based on reviews from 7 critics.[11] Brian Tallerico writing for RogerEbert.com gave the film one and half stars and mainly criticized the film's generic plot and pacing.[12] A. A. Dowd from The A.V. Club gave Area 51 a 'C'-rating and criticized the film's originality when compared to Oren Peli's previous film, Paranormal Activity.[13]

References
  1. Barton, Steve (November 30, 2009). "Paramount and Oren Peli Taking Us to Area 51". Dread Central.
  2. "Area 51 (2015)". Box Office Mojo.
  3. "Details on Oren Peli's Top Secret 'Area 51' Uncovered!". Bloody Disgusting. November 11, 2009.
  4. Shotwell, James (2015-05-19). "MOVIE REVIEW: 'AREA 51' SHOULD REMAIN OFF LIMITS". Under the Gun Review. Retrieved 2017-05-18.
  5. Fleming, Michael (November 29, 2009). "Paramount lands 'Area 51'". Variety.
  6. "[Remember This?] Oren Peli's 'Area 51'". Bloody Disgusting. February 13, 2013.
  7. Han, Angie (August 20, 2013). "Jason Blum Offers Update on Oren Peli's 'Area 51': "It Exists!"". /Film.
  8. "EXCLUSIVE: Jason Blum Confirms Oren Peli's Area 51 Is Finished And Will Be Released...Someday".
  9. Kevin Jagernauth (23 April 2015). "Watch: First Trailer For 'Paranormal Activity' Director O - The Playlist". The Playlist. Archived from the original on 25 April 2015. Retrieved 23 April 2015.
  10. "Long-Lost 'Area 51' Uncovered On VOD! (Trailer) -". bloody-disgusting.com.
  11. "AREA 51 (2015)". Rotten Tomatoes. 2015. Retrieved 2020-05-18.
  12. Tallerico, Brian (2015-05-15). "Area 51 Movie Review and Film Summary (2015)". RogerEbert.com. Retrieved 2017-05-18.
  13. Dowd, A. A. (2015-05-15). "Area 51 offers a close encounter of the very familiar kind". The A.V. Club. Retrieved 2017-05-18.
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