DECOYS (us dvd)
sci-fi horror

"Some students aren't exactly what they seem to be in Decoys, a sci-fi/horror adventure starring Kim Poirier (Dawn of the Dead), Richard Burgi (Starship Troopers 2), Corey Sevier (Tv's North Shore) and Nicole Eggert (Tv's Baywatch).

"If college coeds Lily and Constance look like two out-of-this-world blonde beauties, that's because they're actually intergalactic space invaders with a mission: to breed with humans before taking over the Earth. And even though the girls' mating skills have proven fatal to their victims, they keep on trying. So when Luke, a hard-partying freshman, accidentally witnesses the shapely shape-shifters in their full-bodied alien state, he knows it's up to him to save the planet before he truly gets wasted."

[DVD Cover blurb]

Beauty is only skin deep

dvd review
Sci-fi/horror/sex comedies are in short supply. Never a genre I have much patience for, this one sounded too fun to pass up, and I was pleasantly entertained. One I'd be inclined to rent rather than buy, but certainly one worth getting for a night in with friends.

Guys meet girls. Girls are definately up for it. Guy hides in girl's wardrobe, and witnesses change into alien form. His friend meanwhile falls for one of the aliens. Following a number of strange deaths, boy tries to save friend from getting laid for the last time. Makes number of attempts to reveal their true nature...

For the first hour this could easily be a sex comedy with a sci-fi twist. The deaths of the freshman around campus are funny and bizarre. The love story is dealt with sweetly, and the attempts at a Mork and Mindy relationship seem doomed.

Luke does his best to scupper things up for his friend, partly through jealousy, and partly for concern over his safety. His attempts and revealing the girls as aliens never quite work out, and we head towards an Alien-style show down, complete with flame thrower.

Its all very harmless and a good laugh. I confess, that some of the twists suprised me. Decoys is a little more thought out than these movies usually are.

transfer
Can't fault the transfer of a new film. Aimed at the dvd market, presented in a fine 1.78:1 anamorphic transfer. Sound is in an adequate Dolby Digital 5.1.

extras
Quite sparse on the extras this one.

The Making of DECOYS Featurette: About 20 minutes long. Whilst it contains some behind the scenes footage, and interviews with most of the cast and crew, much of the speech regurgitates the plot of the film. Very disappointing, and pointless.

Previews: Assorted theatrical trailers for other Columbia Tristar releases, as well as video releases and a computer game -
Asylum of the Damned
Boa Vs Python
Starhip Troopers 2: Hero of the Federation
Hellboy
Kaena: The Prophecy
The Lost Skeleton of Cadavra
Everquest II

RJES

PURCHASE R1 DVD

DISC:
Release Date: 7 September 2004 (US)

Feature length: 96 mins
Year of 1st release: 2003
Rating: R (for sexuality and nudity)
Aspect Ratio: 1.78:1 anamorphic widescreen
Audio: English 5.1 Dolby Digital
No of Discs: 1
Region code: 1
Catalogue no: 07508
Distributor: Columbia Tristar Home Entertainment
Price: $24.96
Cast: Corey Sevier, Stefanie Von Pfetten, Meghan Ory, Kim Poirier, Elias Toufexis, Enis Esmer, Richard Burgi, Nicole Eggert
Director: Matt Hastings

SPECIAL FEATURES:
* Subtitles : English
* The Making of DECOYS featurette
* Previews

see left for full details