Altered is a really cool science fiction movie about some rednecks getting revenge on an alien. It's a low budget movie, but filmed in such a way that you can't really tell. Even the alien looks good, and it's not CGI, either! This is more of a dark comedy than a horror movie, but it has enough gore and humor to satisfy fans of both genres. If you are into stuff like the Evil Dead movies, then you should check this out.

The movie begins with three good ole boys driving through the woods in an old van, when suddenly they stop and jump out with a variety of weapons. One guy has a shotgun, another has a crossbow, and a third has some kind of homemade harpoon contraption made with a winch from a boat trailer. Within a few minutes, they capture an alien and bring it back to a friend's house to hide after one of them thinks they spotted a UFO following them in the sky.

It is eventually made known that these four guys previously had an encounter with the same group of aliens, and it killed one guy's brother. When the alien awakes and starts attacking them, it turns into total chaos inside the house. One guy is even bitten and his body starts to change in ways that help justify the title of the movie. When the town sheriff shows up, it only gets worse.

I recognized the faces of some of the actors from previous bit parts, and you might, too. There are no big names in this movie, so instead it looks like the money was put into the sets and make-up. It has a couple of particularly gory scenes, including one very graphic disembowelment where somebody basically plays tug of war with their own intestines. I would not classify this as an action horror movie, because it is mainly about interpersonal conflicts brought about by the alien being there. It has some fights and such, but don't expect this to be some kind of low budget Predator.

The alien in the movie looked good. It was not CGI, but rather a guy in a suit with some animatronic stuff going on in the creature's face. I will take good creature make-up effects any day over CGI. Had the alien been some computer animated cartoon running around, it would not have been anywhere near as effective. I commend the filmmakers for not going the CGI route because it usually winds up giving off that Jar-Jar effect that brings down the whole thing.

This movie was directed by Eduardo Sanchez, who is best known for co-directing The Blair Witch Project. Don't worry, because there are no shaky handheld cameras in this movie. In fact, I thought the cinematography was excellent, especially in the nighttimes scenes set in the woods. I like how the story was presented with the characters immediately thrust into the action so that the thing snowballed into a rather fantastic ending.

Excessive profanity may turn some people away from Altered, but if you can ignore the overused F-bombs, you might get a kick out of this crazy redneck alien movie.

Recommended:
Yes

Viewing Format: DVD
Video Occasion: Good for Groups
Suitability For Children: Not suitable for Children of any age