Back in the pre-Covid days of September 2019, an internet joke spawned a movement to bring thousands of people together to storm Area 51. The idea became part social media lore and part sensation, but in the end it was mostly a letdown. Attendance was low, no aliens were found, and nobody broke into the facility. Escape From Area 51, directed by Eric Mittleman, is about what could have happened if all those hopeful raiders had gotten their wish that September day and discovered actual aliens at the famed military base.

Switching back and forth between recordings on handheld devices and regular filming, we’re introduced to conspiracy theorists Ernest (Caleb Thomas), Molly (Chloe Amen), and Jerry (Devan Schoelen) who are making their plans to attend the raid. One thing is very clear within the first few minutes–this is a very low-budget film. Oddly enough, the best acting comes during those moments of phone recordings, but they are unfortunately few and far between. It’s possible the actors may have been more comfortable in this format, but it does beg the question of whether the movie would have had more merit if they had stuck with that composition the entire time.

Regardless, it does move along at a rather quick pace, and soon our characters arrive at their destination, only to find the disappointment of the lackluster turnout. Unbeknownst to them, there is an alien hidden inside the base – the sexy Sheera (Donna D’Errico). A power glitch enables her to escape, and she inexplicably is able to easily recover her weapon, which acts as a portal gun. This sets off a signal that alerts her planetary rival, Sklarr (Chris Browning). From there, she must evade both him and the scientists at Area 51 to rescue her fellow comrade, Kyra (Anouk Samuel). Along the way, she befriends Ernest and crew, and together they help her in the attempt to continue her escape and get back home.

While the plot is uncomplicated, Escape From Area 51 jumps around by throwing in random “commercials” that seem to serve no purpose, along with odd moments of dance sequences featuring typical-looking aliens. It’s unclear if the filmmakers were trying to be edgy, but it comes off feeling very chaotic and confusing. One could surmise this is part comedy, part sci-fi, but it’s not obvious enough the comedic parts are intentional or not.

Escape From Area 51 isn’t devoid of well thought out character development, however. The strongest scene happens between Sheera and Molly when the two women (one human, one alien) have a quiet moment of reflection, with Molly expressing doubts about her abilities. Despite Sheera not being familiar with human emotions, she manages to give insight into what lies deep within Molly, building her up in a sweet way. It’s a breath of fresh air to witness an interaction between two females that isn’t catty or vindictive, and instead supportive and encouraging. 

There are other attempts to carry the theme that women can be strong enough on their own, but even more so when they work together. If this concept had been developed out more, it could have made for a much stronger story. Unfortunately, it’s almost regarded as an afterthought, and doesn’t surface until the last act. It’s difficult to be invested by then and, although it’s less than 90 minutes, it feels as though it’s dragging along.

In an age where the popularity of “so bad it’s good” is on the rise, it stands to reason this could very well be what they were going for. After all, a film doesn’t have to come with expensive effects and A-list actors to be enjoyable, especially if it’s watched amongst a group of friends looking to relax and have a good time. Sadly, Escape From Area 51 never quite gets off the ground enough for this to be a viable prospect.

2 out of 10