Quatermass 2 (1957) starring Brian Donlevy, John Longden, Sidney James, Bryan Forbes directed by Val Guest Movie Review

Quatermass 2 (1957)   3/53/53/53/53/5


Brian Donlevy in Quatermass 2 (1957)

Quatermass' Conspiracy Theory

With his project to colonize the Moon rejected by the Government, Professor Quatermass (Brian Donlevy) is not in the best of moods but finds himself investigating what may be meteorites which have started to fall to Earth. His team discover they are not meteorites but pods which have carried something else to Earth leading Quatermass and his team to Winnington Flats where the pods were found. But what they discover there is a shady Government operation which appears to mirror his own Moon colonization project> It soon becomes apparent to Quatermass that the Government is up to something and the population may be in grave danger from what ever is in these pods.

It came from out of space, it zombified those it came in to contact with, people in high office attempted to cover things up, one man attempts to get to the bottom of things and putting himself in danger doing so. Those statements could be used to describe probably thousands of horror/ sci-fi movies as the theme of something from space taking over humans has been done time and again. It maybe why having watched "Quatermass 2" for the first time almost 60 years after its release I was left under whelmed. I am sure things were different back in 1957 when it was released and the concept was still fresh and maybe why there are many who are more impressed by this movie than I was.

But the thing is that whilst "Quatermass 2" didn't blow me away it certainly was entertaining with a much better pace than the first movie which barely gives the audience time to breathe and think about what is unfolding in front of their eyes. It also adds another layer to the Sci-Fi drama as on top of these mysterious objects falling from space and the mind control aspect of the gas they contain we also have a Government conspiracy. It is a double whammy as not only does the intrigue of what these pods are grab us but also what the Government is conspiring to cover up.

What this all boils down to is that in many ways "Quatermass 2" is a typical 1950s sci-fi/ horror movie and as such I am sure those who love this era of sci-fi will enjoy it. But even if you watch just as a general movie fan the pace, the intrigue, the suggested horror and at times violence makes it still entertaining.


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